The $1.6 Million Australian Coupe Built for the Driven

In a quiet workshop in inner city Melbourne, one of the most ambitious performance cars in Australia is being built by hand.

Limited to just 10 cars a year and priced at $1.6 million, the Zeigler/Bailey Z/B 4.4 is not designed to chase mass appeal.

It is built for a very specific kind of driver. One who wants feel over flash, engineering over hype, and a car with soul as well as speed.

The Z/B 4.4 takes visual cues from the classic air-cooled Porsche era of the late 1970s and 80s, but beneath the familiar silhouette sits an entirely new platform.

Rather than restoring or lightly modifying an old chassis, the team has replaced the floor and structure with a clean-sheet, motorsport-bred tub, engineered to modern Australian safety standards and designed to work in both right- and left-hand drive.

The result is a car that looks nostalgic, but behaves like a thoroughly modern performance machine.

Power comes from a bespoke 4.4-litre air-cooled flat-six engine, designed and assembled in-house and machined from solid aluminium billet.

With 300 kilowatts of power and 500 Newton-metres of torque, its output slightly surpasses that of today’s Porsche 911 Carrera, while retaining the raw sound and character of classic air-cooled engineering.

Much of the car’s suspension architecture is inspired by Le Mans prototype racing, with push-rod actuated dampers and a multi-link rear system designed to deliver both comfort and precision.

The electronics have also been built from scratch, using a solid-state CAN-bus architecture that allows for digital instrumentation, remote diagnostics and ongoing software updates.

Every Z/B 4.4 begins life as a donor Porsche 911 from the 1975 to 1989 G-series era. From there, almost everything mechanical, structural and electronic is reimagined. More than 3,500 bespoke parts go into each finished car.

Despite the engineering depth, this is not a track-only machine.

Owners are involved in the personalisation of colour, trim and finishes, with many choosing to take part in selected phases of the build itself. Seating, ride settings, digital displays and even engine tuning can all be adjusted to suit the driver.

Behind the project are entrepreneur and Porsche collector John Zeigler Jr and automotive engineer Greg Bailey.

Together, they have created not just a car, but a global low-volume manufacturing model, using advanced CNC machining and 3D printing to produce parts that would once have been impossible to fabricate locally.

The business now employs a specialised team of designers, engineers and assemblers, and has plans to scale internationally through engines, components and licensed assembly.

For collectors, the appeal is as much about rarity as performance. Only 10 cars a year will be built for the Australian market. Six are already sold. Delivery from order is about 12 months.

In a world where hypercars increasingly blur into one another, the Z/B 4.4 stands apart as something deeply personal and proudly Australian. It is not designed to dominate social media feeds or sit under velvet ropes. It is designed to be driven.

As the creators like to say, you do not buy cool. You build it.

Italian fine wines are gaining momentum among Australian collectors and drinkers, with new data from showing a surge in interest driven by value, versatility and a new generation of producers.

Long dominated by France, the premium wine conversation is beginning to shift, with Italy increasingly positioned as a compelling alternative for both drinking and collecting.

According to Langtons, the category is benefiting from a combination of factors, including its breadth of styles, strong food affinity and more accessible price points compared to traditional European benchmarks.

“Italy has always offered fine wine fans an incredible range of wines with finesse, nuance, expression of terroir, ageability, rarity, and heritage,” said Langtons General Manager Tamara Grischy.

“There’s no doubt the Italian wine category is gaining momentum in 2026… While the French have long dominated the fine wine space in Australia, we’re seeing Italy become a strong contender as the go-to for both drinking and collecting.”

The shift is being reinforced by changing consumer preferences, with Langtons reporting increased demand for indigenous Italian varieties and lighter, food-first styles such as Nerello Mascalese from Etna and modern Chianti Classico.

This aligns with the broader rise of Mediterranean-style dining in Australia, where wines are expected to complement a wider range of dishes rather than dominate them.

Langtons buyer Zach Nelson said the category’s versatility is central to its appeal.

“Italian wines often have a distinct, savoury edge making them an ideal pairing for a variety of cuisines,” he said.

The move towards Italian wines also comes as prices for traditional French regions continue to climb, particularly in Burgundy, prompting collectors to look elsewhere for value without compromising on quality.

Italy’s key regions, including Piedmont and Etna, are increasingly seen as offering that balance, with premium wines available at comparatively accessible price points.

Nelson said value is now a defining factor for buyers in 2026.

“Value is the key driver for Australian fine wine consumers… Italian wines are offering exactly that at an impressive array of price points to suit any budget,” he said.

The category is also proving attractive for newer collectors, offering what Langtons describes as “accessible prestige” and a more open entry point compared to the exclusivity often associated with Bordeaux.

Wines such as Brunello di Montalcino and Nebbiolo-based expressions are increasingly being positioned as entry points into cellar-worthy collections, combining ageability with relative affordability.

At the same time, a new generation of Italian producers is reshaping the category, moving away from heavier, oak-driven styles towards wines that emphasise site expression and vibrancy.

“There’s definitely a ‘new guard’ of Italian winemaking… stripping away the makeup… to let the raw, vibrating energy of the site speak,” Nelson said.

Langtons is also expanding its offering in the category, including exclusive access to wines from family-owned producer Boroli, alongside a broader selection spanning Piedmont, Veneto, Sicily and Tuscany.

The company will showcase the category further at its upcoming Italian Collection Masterclass and Tasting in Sydney, featuring more than 50 wines from 23 producers across four key regions.

For collectors and drinkers alike, the message is clear: Italy may have been overlooked, but it is no longer under the radar.

The $1.6 Million Australian Coupe Built for the Driven

Hand-built in Melbourne and limited to just 10 cars a year, the Zeigler/Bailey Z/B 4.4 is reshaping what a modern collector car can be.

Italian wines are emerging as a serious contender for Australian collectors, offering depth, rarity and value as French benchmarks continue to climb.