Isle of Right: Performance Cars in Tasmania

Join Wheels in Tasmania as we blast around some of Australia’s best driving roads in seven of the best affordable drivers’ cars.

BOATS AND cars usually don’t mix. When describing how a car handles, if you’re painting the picture using any references to water or nautical pursuits, there’s a strong chance that said vehicle is a wallowing, nauseating pile of sick. And therefore not suited to Tasmania’s magnificent roads.

If you’re from mainland Australia, however, and want to traverse the Apple Isle in something other than a rented Camry, it’s across Bass Strait you’ll go by the only means possible, on board the ‘new’ Spirit of Tasmania, which apparently isn’t a boat at all. It’s a ship. A bloody huge one that also transports cars.

When a recent launch invite mentioned ‘new Audi RS3 Sportback’ and ‘Tasmania’ in the same sentence, our ears swivelled like K-9’s, provoking the obvious question: “Any chance one could be left there and we’ll ship over the party?” Followed by another, this time to the office crew: “What should we take?”

Well, how about the Mercedes-AMG A45, BMW M135i, Mini John Cooper Works, Renaultsport Megane 275 Cup Premium, Volkwagen Golf R wagon and - to keep them honest - the Holden Commodore SS-V Redline? Our comparison of sub-$100,000 performance cars of 2015 is now online.