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CarExpert Choice winner: Best Affordable Sports Car

CarExpert Choice winner: Best Affordable Sports Car

The Advertiser7 hours ago

The Ford Mustang has been named Australia's best affordable sports car in the inaugural 2025 CarExpert Choice Awards.
Ford's seventh-generation pony car beat out two very different finalists: the Mazda MX-5 roadster and Toyota GR86 coupe.
Available in both coupe and convertible forms, it's larger, heavier and more expensive than those sports cars, but the recently redesigned Mustang is an utterly enthralling vehicle.
A big part of its appeal is the GT's naturally aspirated V8 – available with a manual, no less! That's a combination that's becoming increasingly rare on our market.
Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now.
But the Mustang is more than just its engine. For starters, you can get it without the V8, with the base EcoBoost featuring an engaging and oft-overlooked turbocharged 2.3-litre four-cylinder petrol engine.
The American muscle car is the best-handling Mustang yet, while also proving comfortable for the daily commute – particularly with the optional MagneRide adaptive suspension.
Mustang purists may scoff at the redesigned interior, but it's more modern and logically laid out than before. You can also still get the wind in your hair in the GT Convertible, allowing you to better take in that sonorous V8.
A sports car should make you feel good when you drive it, and the Mustang makes us feel pretty damn good.
To see all the CarExpert Choice winners, click here.
MORE: Explore the Ford Mustang showroom
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au
The Ford Mustang has been named Australia's best affordable sports car in the inaugural 2025 CarExpert Choice Awards.
Ford's seventh-generation pony car beat out two very different finalists: the Mazda MX-5 roadster and Toyota GR86 coupe.
Available in both coupe and convertible forms, it's larger, heavier and more expensive than those sports cars, but the recently redesigned Mustang is an utterly enthralling vehicle.
A big part of its appeal is the GT's naturally aspirated V8 – available with a manual, no less! That's a combination that's becoming increasingly rare on our market.
Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now.
But the Mustang is more than just its engine. For starters, you can get it without the V8, with the base EcoBoost featuring an engaging and oft-overlooked turbocharged 2.3-litre four-cylinder petrol engine.
The American muscle car is the best-handling Mustang yet, while also proving comfortable for the daily commute – particularly with the optional MagneRide adaptive suspension.
Mustang purists may scoff at the redesigned interior, but it's more modern and logically laid out than before. You can also still get the wind in your hair in the GT Convertible, allowing you to better take in that sonorous V8.
A sports car should make you feel good when you drive it, and the Mustang makes us feel pretty damn good.
To see all the CarExpert Choice winners, click here.
MORE: Explore the Ford Mustang showroom
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au
The Ford Mustang has been named Australia's best affordable sports car in the inaugural 2025 CarExpert Choice Awards.
Ford's seventh-generation pony car beat out two very different finalists: the Mazda MX-5 roadster and Toyota GR86 coupe.
Available in both coupe and convertible forms, it's larger, heavier and more expensive than those sports cars, but the recently redesigned Mustang is an utterly enthralling vehicle.
A big part of its appeal is the GT's naturally aspirated V8 – available with a manual, no less! That's a combination that's becoming increasingly rare on our market.
Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now.
But the Mustang is more than just its engine. For starters, you can get it without the V8, with the base EcoBoost featuring an engaging and oft-overlooked turbocharged 2.3-litre four-cylinder petrol engine.
The American muscle car is the best-handling Mustang yet, while also proving comfortable for the daily commute – particularly with the optional MagneRide adaptive suspension.
Mustang purists may scoff at the redesigned interior, but it's more modern and logically laid out than before. You can also still get the wind in your hair in the GT Convertible, allowing you to better take in that sonorous V8.
A sports car should make you feel good when you drive it, and the Mustang makes us feel pretty damn good.
To see all the CarExpert Choice winners, click here.
MORE: Explore the Ford Mustang showroom
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au
The Ford Mustang has been named Australia's best affordable sports car in the inaugural 2025 CarExpert Choice Awards.
Ford's seventh-generation pony car beat out two very different finalists: the Mazda MX-5 roadster and Toyota GR86 coupe.
Available in both coupe and convertible forms, it's larger, heavier and more expensive than those sports cars, but the recently redesigned Mustang is an utterly enthralling vehicle.
A big part of its appeal is the GT's naturally aspirated V8 – available with a manual, no less! That's a combination that's becoming increasingly rare on our market.
Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now.
But the Mustang is more than just its engine. For starters, you can get it without the V8, with the base EcoBoost featuring an engaging and oft-overlooked turbocharged 2.3-litre four-cylinder petrol engine.
The American muscle car is the best-handling Mustang yet, while also proving comfortable for the daily commute – particularly with the optional MagneRide adaptive suspension.
Mustang purists may scoff at the redesigned interior, but it's more modern and logically laid out than before. You can also still get the wind in your hair in the GT Convertible, allowing you to better take in that sonorous V8.
A sports car should make you feel good when you drive it, and the Mustang makes us feel pretty damn good.
To see all the CarExpert Choice winners, click here.
MORE: Explore the Ford Mustang showroom
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au

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CarExpert Choice winner: Best Affordable Sports Car
CarExpert Choice winner: Best Affordable Sports Car

The Advertiser

time7 hours ago

  • The Advertiser

CarExpert Choice winner: Best Affordable Sports Car

The Ford Mustang has been named Australia's best affordable sports car in the inaugural 2025 CarExpert Choice Awards. Ford's seventh-generation pony car beat out two very different finalists: the Mazda MX-5 roadster and Toyota GR86 coupe. Available in both coupe and convertible forms, it's larger, heavier and more expensive than those sports cars, but the recently redesigned Mustang is an utterly enthralling vehicle. A big part of its appeal is the GT's naturally aspirated V8 – available with a manual, no less! That's a combination that's becoming increasingly rare on our market. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. But the Mustang is more than just its engine. For starters, you can get it without the V8, with the base EcoBoost featuring an engaging and oft-overlooked turbocharged 2.3-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. The American muscle car is the best-handling Mustang yet, while also proving comfortable for the daily commute – particularly with the optional MagneRide adaptive suspension. Mustang purists may scoff at the redesigned interior, but it's more modern and logically laid out than before. You can also still get the wind in your hair in the GT Convertible, allowing you to better take in that sonorous V8. A sports car should make you feel good when you drive it, and the Mustang makes us feel pretty damn good. To see all the CarExpert Choice winners, click here. MORE: Explore the Ford Mustang showroom Content originally sourced from: The Ford Mustang has been named Australia's best affordable sports car in the inaugural 2025 CarExpert Choice Awards. Ford's seventh-generation pony car beat out two very different finalists: the Mazda MX-5 roadster and Toyota GR86 coupe. Available in both coupe and convertible forms, it's larger, heavier and more expensive than those sports cars, but the recently redesigned Mustang is an utterly enthralling vehicle. A big part of its appeal is the GT's naturally aspirated V8 – available with a manual, no less! That's a combination that's becoming increasingly rare on our market. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. But the Mustang is more than just its engine. For starters, you can get it without the V8, with the base EcoBoost featuring an engaging and oft-overlooked turbocharged 2.3-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. The American muscle car is the best-handling Mustang yet, while also proving comfortable for the daily commute – particularly with the optional MagneRide adaptive suspension. Mustang purists may scoff at the redesigned interior, but it's more modern and logically laid out than before. You can also still get the wind in your hair in the GT Convertible, allowing you to better take in that sonorous V8. A sports car should make you feel good when you drive it, and the Mustang makes us feel pretty damn good. To see all the CarExpert Choice winners, click here. MORE: Explore the Ford Mustang showroom Content originally sourced from: The Ford Mustang has been named Australia's best affordable sports car in the inaugural 2025 CarExpert Choice Awards. Ford's seventh-generation pony car beat out two very different finalists: the Mazda MX-5 roadster and Toyota GR86 coupe. Available in both coupe and convertible forms, it's larger, heavier and more expensive than those sports cars, but the recently redesigned Mustang is an utterly enthralling vehicle. A big part of its appeal is the GT's naturally aspirated V8 – available with a manual, no less! That's a combination that's becoming increasingly rare on our market. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. But the Mustang is more than just its engine. For starters, you can get it without the V8, with the base EcoBoost featuring an engaging and oft-overlooked turbocharged 2.3-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. The American muscle car is the best-handling Mustang yet, while also proving comfortable for the daily commute – particularly with the optional MagneRide adaptive suspension. Mustang purists may scoff at the redesigned interior, but it's more modern and logically laid out than before. You can also still get the wind in your hair in the GT Convertible, allowing you to better take in that sonorous V8. A sports car should make you feel good when you drive it, and the Mustang makes us feel pretty damn good. To see all the CarExpert Choice winners, click here. MORE: Explore the Ford Mustang showroom Content originally sourced from: The Ford Mustang has been named Australia's best affordable sports car in the inaugural 2025 CarExpert Choice Awards. Ford's seventh-generation pony car beat out two very different finalists: the Mazda MX-5 roadster and Toyota GR86 coupe. Available in both coupe and convertible forms, it's larger, heavier and more expensive than those sports cars, but the recently redesigned Mustang is an utterly enthralling vehicle. A big part of its appeal is the GT's naturally aspirated V8 – available with a manual, no less! That's a combination that's becoming increasingly rare on our market. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. But the Mustang is more than just its engine. For starters, you can get it without the V8, with the base EcoBoost featuring an engaging and oft-overlooked turbocharged 2.3-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. The American muscle car is the best-handling Mustang yet, while also proving comfortable for the daily commute – particularly with the optional MagneRide adaptive suspension. Mustang purists may scoff at the redesigned interior, but it's more modern and logically laid out than before. You can also still get the wind in your hair in the GT Convertible, allowing you to better take in that sonorous V8. A sports car should make you feel good when you drive it, and the Mustang makes us feel pretty damn good. To see all the CarExpert Choice winners, click here. MORE: Explore the Ford Mustang showroom Content originally sourced from:

Former Jaguar design chief launches A$160,000 Mini restomod
Former Jaguar design chief launches A$160,000 Mini restomod

The Advertiser

time7 hours ago

  • The Advertiser

Former Jaguar design chief launches A$160,000 Mini restomod

Ian Callum, the design chief of Jaguar until 2019, has teamed up with coachbuilders Wood & Pickett for a Mini restomod. Based on the Mk5 Mini Sportspack built from 1997 until the original car's demise in 2001, the restomod includes wide Wood & Pickett wheel arches, and new side sills. The front and rear valences under the bumpers have been redesigned for improved cooling. Both the head- and tail-lights have been upgraded to LED units, with new graphics at both ends. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Under the bonnet lives a thoroughly reworked four-cylinder engine that's grown from 1.275L to 1.31L. The increase in volume, as well as new performance cylinder heads, a unique exhaust system with two upswept tips, and revised twin-point fuel injection system boosts output to 82kW. The car rides on a new suspension kit and Ian Callum-designed 13-inch alloy wheels. Up front there's an upgraded braking package featuring 213mm grooved and ventilated discs, while the rear remains a drum-only setup. Inside there's a new dashboard that's inspired by Wood & Pickett's "Margrave" interior, and includes metal bezels for the dials and vents, piano key switches, an entertainment system that supports Apple CarPlay, and a pair of cupholders ahead of the gearshift. Other changes include new front seats, and a rebuilt and retrimmed rear bench. Extra soundproofing has been installed, as has new high quality carpet, and electric windows. The Wood and Pickett Mini by Callum has a starting price of £75,000 (A$157,500), with each car hand built and personalised to the buyer's specifications. There will be a limited production run, although no number has been specified. The brown car seen here is the first production car, and belongs to British model David Gandy. Wood & Pickett is a coachbuilder and car modification company that dates back to 1947, and made a name for itself in the 1960s for its work on the original Mini. Ian Callum was head of design for Jaguar from 1999 to 2019 when he quit to start his own automotive design consultancy. MORE: Everything Mini Content originally sourced from: Ian Callum, the design chief of Jaguar until 2019, has teamed up with coachbuilders Wood & Pickett for a Mini restomod. Based on the Mk5 Mini Sportspack built from 1997 until the original car's demise in 2001, the restomod includes wide Wood & Pickett wheel arches, and new side sills. The front and rear valences under the bumpers have been redesigned for improved cooling. Both the head- and tail-lights have been upgraded to LED units, with new graphics at both ends. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Under the bonnet lives a thoroughly reworked four-cylinder engine that's grown from 1.275L to 1.31L. The increase in volume, as well as new performance cylinder heads, a unique exhaust system with two upswept tips, and revised twin-point fuel injection system boosts output to 82kW. The car rides on a new suspension kit and Ian Callum-designed 13-inch alloy wheels. Up front there's an upgraded braking package featuring 213mm grooved and ventilated discs, while the rear remains a drum-only setup. Inside there's a new dashboard that's inspired by Wood & Pickett's "Margrave" interior, and includes metal bezels for the dials and vents, piano key switches, an entertainment system that supports Apple CarPlay, and a pair of cupholders ahead of the gearshift. Other changes include new front seats, and a rebuilt and retrimmed rear bench. Extra soundproofing has been installed, as has new high quality carpet, and electric windows. The Wood and Pickett Mini by Callum has a starting price of £75,000 (A$157,500), with each car hand built and personalised to the buyer's specifications. There will be a limited production run, although no number has been specified. The brown car seen here is the first production car, and belongs to British model David Gandy. Wood & Pickett is a coachbuilder and car modification company that dates back to 1947, and made a name for itself in the 1960s for its work on the original Mini. Ian Callum was head of design for Jaguar from 1999 to 2019 when he quit to start his own automotive design consultancy. MORE: Everything Mini Content originally sourced from: Ian Callum, the design chief of Jaguar until 2019, has teamed up with coachbuilders Wood & Pickett for a Mini restomod. Based on the Mk5 Mini Sportspack built from 1997 until the original car's demise in 2001, the restomod includes wide Wood & Pickett wheel arches, and new side sills. The front and rear valences under the bumpers have been redesigned for improved cooling. Both the head- and tail-lights have been upgraded to LED units, with new graphics at both ends. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Under the bonnet lives a thoroughly reworked four-cylinder engine that's grown from 1.275L to 1.31L. The increase in volume, as well as new performance cylinder heads, a unique exhaust system with two upswept tips, and revised twin-point fuel injection system boosts output to 82kW. The car rides on a new suspension kit and Ian Callum-designed 13-inch alloy wheels. Up front there's an upgraded braking package featuring 213mm grooved and ventilated discs, while the rear remains a drum-only setup. Inside there's a new dashboard that's inspired by Wood & Pickett's "Margrave" interior, and includes metal bezels for the dials and vents, piano key switches, an entertainment system that supports Apple CarPlay, and a pair of cupholders ahead of the gearshift. Other changes include new front seats, and a rebuilt and retrimmed rear bench. Extra soundproofing has been installed, as has new high quality carpet, and electric windows. The Wood and Pickett Mini by Callum has a starting price of £75,000 (A$157,500), with each car hand built and personalised to the buyer's specifications. There will be a limited production run, although no number has been specified. The brown car seen here is the first production car, and belongs to British model David Gandy. Wood & Pickett is a coachbuilder and car modification company that dates back to 1947, and made a name for itself in the 1960s for its work on the original Mini. Ian Callum was head of design for Jaguar from 1999 to 2019 when he quit to start his own automotive design consultancy. MORE: Everything Mini Content originally sourced from: Ian Callum, the design chief of Jaguar until 2019, has teamed up with coachbuilders Wood & Pickett for a Mini restomod. Based on the Mk5 Mini Sportspack built from 1997 until the original car's demise in 2001, the restomod includes wide Wood & Pickett wheel arches, and new side sills. The front and rear valences under the bumpers have been redesigned for improved cooling. Both the head- and tail-lights have been upgraded to LED units, with new graphics at both ends. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Under the bonnet lives a thoroughly reworked four-cylinder engine that's grown from 1.275L to 1.31L. The increase in volume, as well as new performance cylinder heads, a unique exhaust system with two upswept tips, and revised twin-point fuel injection system boosts output to 82kW. The car rides on a new suspension kit and Ian Callum-designed 13-inch alloy wheels. Up front there's an upgraded braking package featuring 213mm grooved and ventilated discs, while the rear remains a drum-only setup. Inside there's a new dashboard that's inspired by Wood & Pickett's "Margrave" interior, and includes metal bezels for the dials and vents, piano key switches, an entertainment system that supports Apple CarPlay, and a pair of cupholders ahead of the gearshift. Other changes include new front seats, and a rebuilt and retrimmed rear bench. Extra soundproofing has been installed, as has new high quality carpet, and electric windows. The Wood and Pickett Mini by Callum has a starting price of £75,000 (A$157,500), with each car hand built and personalised to the buyer's specifications. There will be a limited production run, although no number has been specified. The brown car seen here is the first production car, and belongs to British model David Gandy. Wood & Pickett is a coachbuilder and car modification company that dates back to 1947, and made a name for itself in the 1960s for its work on the original Mini. Ian Callum was head of design for Jaguar from 1999 to 2019 when he quit to start his own automotive design consultancy. MORE: Everything Mini Content originally sourced from:

Why the Chevrolet Corvette is a CarExpert Choice winner
Why the Chevrolet Corvette is a CarExpert Choice winner

Perth Now

time8 hours ago

  • Perth Now

Why the Chevrolet Corvette is a CarExpert Choice winner

The Porsche 911 has long been the yardstick against which all luxury sports cars are measured, but there's a new kid in town. The latest Chevrolet Corvette has now managed what the brilliant but too expensive and too limited Honda NSX – and the highly underrated but now discontinued Audi R8 – failed to do: topple the 911 to become our pick as the finest luxury sports car available. General Motors shocked the world when it launched the eighth generation of its lauded Corvette in 2019, releasing not only the first global version produced in both left- and right-hand drive, but the first one with a mid-mounted engine. The move made Chevrolet's iconic sports car a more direct rival for the likes of the Ferrari 296, Lamborghini Huracan and, yes, the rear-engined 911. Launched with what GM does best – a big-bore V8 – the ground-breaking C8 promised Ferrari levels of engine and chassis performance in a purpose-built two-seat sports car, for Chevrolet money. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Supplied Credit: CarExpert Indeed, Australian Chevrolet distributor GM Specialty Vehicles announced a base price of $144,990 before on-road costs for the Stingray in March 2021. By the time first deliveries took place in September 2021, the first batch of 250 vehicles was already sold out and there was no ETA on further shipments, while some dealers were gouging potential customers tens of thousands of dollars on top of official list prices. But after growing demand from disenfranchised GM performance car fans following the axing of Holden, HSV and the locally converted Chevrolet Camaro in 2020, more supplies eventually arrived in late 2023 after several production delays and a $15k base price hike. The hot Z06 arrived around the same time, priced from a cool $336,000, followed by the electrified $275,000 E-Ray in August 2024, and more price hikes for the Stingrays that now start at $186,990. Nevertheless, that's just $10,000 more than the cheapest BMW M4 and still almost $100,000 less than the most affordable 911, both of which offer less power. Supplied Credit: CarExpert Sadly, while the Z06 rides on Carbon Revolution wheels made in Australia, its exhaust and therefore power output were nobbled by our government's fun police. In more sad news, the most ferocious versions of the C8 – including the ZR1 that packs a twin-turbo version of the Z06's 5.5-litre flat-plane crank V8, making a mammoth 783kW of power and 1123Nm of torque, and probably the hybridised ZR1X that develops an incredible 932kW – will only be produced in left-hand drive, ruling them out for official Australian release. But no Corvette is a wallflower, with even the base Stingray 2LT Coupe and Convertible using a naturally aspirated 6.2-litre V8 producing 369kW and 637Nm of torque. The Z06 Coupe cranks out a healthy 475kW/595Nm, and the E-Ray adds a front electric motor to the Stingray recipe to deliver all-wheel drive and a very generous 488kW/807Nm. Supplied Credit: CarExpert However, the latest Corvette isn't just a relative bargain and it doesn't just out-power its closest competitors – it matches them for design, refinement, safety, technology and dynamics, with superb chassis balance, talkative steering, fantastic brakes and big rewards for drivers who dig deep into its broad skillset. The E-Ray in particular has an enormous performance envelope, and delivers so much acceleration, sound and X-factor so seamlessly and – so far – reliably that it's hard to believe it was created in the US and not Germany or Italy, as outlined below by my colleagues. 'Anybody who scoffs at the notion an American automaker can't compete in the supercar big league needs to get behind the wheel of Chevy's mid-engined C8 Corvette,' said CarExpert news editor William Stopford. 'Not only does this American supercar look the part, it offers the adroit handling and tremendous performance expected of such a vehicle. 'While the all-wheel drive hybrid E-Ray is my personal favourite, you can get a base Stingray for close to $100k less than the cheapest Porsche 911 and well under half the price of the cheapest Lamborghini or Ferrari. Try ignoring that.' Supplied Credit: CarExpert 'After driving the latest Chevrolet Corvette – particularly the E-Ray – it's hard to go past America's supercar in the luxury sports segment,' said marketplace editor James Wong. 'The stonking electrified V8 drivetrain is not only blisteringly quick, but it offers an old-school sound, track-happy handling and of course those classic supercar proportions make it look twice as expensive than it actually is. Even better, the available Carbon Revolution carbon-fibre wheels add a dash of Australia to an already desirable recipe.' 'The obvious choice here would be the Porsche 911, but people seem to underestimate Chevy's V8 sports car weapon,' said deputy marketplace editor Joosh Nevett. 'The C8 Corvette is the best 'Vette yet – not only does it offer blistering performance, but also supercar styling and an interior that feels special to sit in. 'Then there's the matter of money, as the base Corvette Stingray is a relative bargain compared to an equivalent 911. But if I had the choice, I'd shell out for the Z06 or E-Ray, both of which take the Corvette brand to new heights.' Supplied Credit: CarExpert Winner – Chevrolet Corvette Finalist – Porsche 911 Finalist – BMW M4 To see all the CarExpert Choice winners, click here. MORE: Explore the Chevrolet Corvette showroomMORE: E-Ray breaks tradition to take centre stage at 2025 Corvette Nationals

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