Alpine A390
Alpine has already made one attempt at reestablishing itself in the Australian market, but withdrew the A110 in late 2021 when regulations made it too tough to stay.
But the French performance brand will return in ‘26 with a very different machine to the mid-engine, petrol-powered A110 – the all-electric A390.
Based on the same platform as the Renault Megane E-Tech and Nissan Ariya, the A390 gets unique Alpine styling and tuning to try and crash on its racing links in Formula 1 and the World Endurance Championship.
Aston Martin Vantage S
The British brand is determined to take the fight to the Porsche 911 with this new-generation Vantage, offering a more aggressive and powerful Vantage in 2025.
For 2026 it will wind things up to the next level, introducing the Vantage S. Powered by the same 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 (sourced from AMG) as the regular Vantage, this version makes an extra 11kW, to boost outputs to 500kW of power and 800Nm of torque.
To further differentiate the Vantage S it gets unique bonnet blades, red-striped front splitter, side skirts and rear diffuser, as well as a wider rear spoiler, which Aston Martin claims produces 44kg more downforce at its 325km/h top speed, for a total of 111kg of downforce.
Porsche 911 Turbo S
If you think hybrids are just for saving fuel, you haven’t experienced the new Porsche ‘T-Hybrids’. Debuting on the GTS, they have now found their way into the range-topping (from a power perspective) 911 Turbo S.
This new hero model combines a 3.6-litre twin-turbo flat-six engine with an electric motor that provides boost to make a staggering 523kW and 800Nm. That’s a 45kW bump on the old Turbo S and a whopping 125kW/190Nm improvement on the GTS T-Hybrid – so there’s plenty of difference between the two.
It’s enough grunt for this German masterpiece to launch 0-100km/h in just 2.5 seconds and is 14 seconds faster than the old Turbo S around the Nurburgring – so it’s fast in both a straight line and in the corners.
Ferrari 849 Testarossa
Applying one of the most evocative names in the history of the brand is a big call. Made famous by the brand’s 1950s racing cars and then again in the 1980s by Miami Vice, the new Testarossa is something totally different.
The new Testarossa uses the SF90’s 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine, but has a raft of updates, including a new turbocharger, to bump power to 610kW and 842Nm on its own. But that’s not all because the V8 is paired with three electric motors – an F1-style MGU-K which can drive the rear wheels, as well as two front units – which can develop up to 164kW, and help the 849 Testarossa to produce a combined 772kW.
For those with enough money and connections to buy this rare stallion, it will no doubt be an unforgettable driving experience.
Lamborghini Temerario
The much-anticipated replacement for the Huracán arrives this year, with the all-new Temerario joining the Revuelto in a rejuvenated line-up.
To meet both the demands of customers and legislators around the world Lamborghini has created an all-new hybrid powertrain for the Temerario. It combines a new twin-turbo V8 engine with three electric motors for a total system output of 686kW. While it may be a hybrid, Lamborghini wants it to sound like a Lamborghini, so the engine will rev all the way to 10,000rpm.
It has enough power to launch 0-100km/h in just 2.7 seconds and keep going to a top speed of 340km/h. In other words, you’re not buying this hybrid to save the planet, you’re buying it to go fast.
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