Got the need for speed?
There's any number of ways to get your fix.
At the very pointy end, for instance, is the Formula 1 race car.
It will slingshot you from a standing start to the legal speed limit in just 2.6 seconds. That's fast.
But with a price of roughly $15 million, they're not easy to come by. Not that you'd ever be allowed to buy one, anyway. Or drive one, for that matter.
Take a decent step back and you could consider Australia's iconic V8 supercar, the benchmark for high performance racing machines Down Under.
It reaches the coveted 100 km/h mark in just 3.4 seconds, and it's a bargain buy at $350,000 (or thereabouts).
But if you'd prefer to have a few more standard features - like passenger seats, for instance, a working radio, or a place to put your luggage (or even your sunglasses), then perhaps this car might be more your speed.
Meet the latest iteration of Korean maker Kia's all-electric EV6, the EV6 GT.
A sleek but unassuming beast that can burn off virtually anything on our roads, apart from a handful of bespoke European models.
Yet behind its Superman cape, the EV6 is a surprisingly civilised, sensible piece of equipment - even more remarkable when you compare its price to that of its so-called rivals.
The GT can be had for a tick under $100,000 - meaning you could get three or four of these for the cost of a V8 Supercar.
Or, if you're really in a hurry, you could get about 150 (yes, that's right) Kias for the cost of just one Formula One machine.
Kia, not surprisingly, sees the GT as an opportunity not only to sell more cars, but also to elevate the brand's reputation at the pointy end of the market.
That's not as straightforward as you might think. This GT is almost $20,000 less than its almost identical, but not nearly as fast, EV6 sibling.
Kia says it's the most powerful vehicle ever built in Korea (a tag previously attached to Kia's petrol-powered Stinger GT, which now looks positively slow).
Consider this. The standard EV6 enjoys smart performance with its single motor, 239 kilowatts and 605 Newton metres. By contrast, the GT ups the ante to 430kW and 740Nm of torque. Staggering.
Yet you could still own this as a family car - albeit one that could torch your neighbour's Porsche when the mood takes you (ironically, the Porsche Taycan Turbo S - the German maker's all-electric model - is capable of a sub-3 second sprint).
Of course, straight-line speed isn't necessarily the be-all and end-all of performance motoring.
It's one thing to accelerate like a space shuttle but it's quite another to get around corners or to slow down when safety calls.
Fortunately Kia engineers have bestowed the GT with massive brakes (380mm at the front, 325mm at the rear) complete with eye-catching lime green brake rotors visible through its 21-inch wheels.
In any event, Australia's draconian free speed limits mean that, even if you buy one of these, you'd rarely, if ever, get to use your new toy to anything like its true potential.
There are always track days if you really want to frighten yourself. The GT even has a drift mode, which allows you to break loose with all four wheels at once - again, if that takes your fancy.
The EV6 displays impeccable road manners - nicely anchored to the ground (as you might expect from a car carrying hundreds of kilos of batteries) but also nimble on quick changes of direction; with razor sharp steering and surprisingly relaxed ride despite its ballistic acceleration.
Stylistically it's stunning with its swoopy lines, big alloy wheels and, in our case, a matte paint finish.
Inside, too, the EV6 is surprisingly roomy and comfortable.
It's a substantially bigger machine than at first glance - its 2900mm wheelbase meaning it can be a handful in tight parking situations, although its 360-degree reversing camera helps soften the blow.
It uses a twin-screen multimedia display favoured by so many new cars - with one replacing the conventional instrument panel and the second sitting atop the centre dash, giving easy access to a barrage of functions and apps, not to mention a very good infotainment system.
The GT model goes to great lengths to deliver a strong value proposition.
For instance, it uses three different types of glass - solar, privacy and acoustic - contributing to that serene cabin atmosphere.
It offers 64 different types of ambient lighting, aero wipers, electronically controlled suspension, E-Limited slip differential, LED headlights,GT mode button on the steering wheel and a wireless phone charger.
Compared to its stealth-like acceleration experience, the car makes an other-worldly, barely audible sound as it whistles from a standstill to the speed limit with dazzling quiet efficiency.
We particularly liked the rib-hugging sports seats, which look snug and supportive and don't disappoint when you climb inside.
Rear-seat leg room is quite generous, although headroom is less so behind that sloping C-pillar.
Kia insists on calling the GT a wagon, even though it's a hatchback at worst, or more likely a slinky fastback.
And with its lack of a transmission tunnel, it's remarkable how spacious the EV6 feels when you start packing things, and people, inside.
It will accommodate five people with a huge luggage compartment behind.
There's also a tiny trunk (or Frunk) beneath the bonnet, for any precious items.
And of course, the cargo storage is somewhat unexpected of a car with this kind of capability.
That is, until they start making Formula 1 cars with a boot.
KIA EV6 GT
HOW BIG?
Surprisingly so, with much more interior space than you'd expect.
HOW FAST?
It will reach the speed limit in 3.5 seconds. That is seriously quick.
HOW THIRSTY?
Despite its pulverising acceleration, it also offers about 424 kilowatts of range.
HOW MUCH?
The GT model tested here costs $99,590 plus on road costs (that's $20,000 cheaper than the less powerful GT Line)
