T3's round-up of the hottest new cars to save up for
Those looking to spend in the region of £250,000 on a luxury cruiser tend to be the sort of people who rush around the country attending business meeting after business meeting. Time is of the essence, which is presumably why Bentley has kitted out its brilliantly opulent Mulsanne model with a 6.75-litre V8 engine that now produces 530bhp. The lavish barge can accelerate from 0-60mph in 4.9 seconds, which is made even more impressive by the fact it weighs in at nearly three tonnes. Inside, it can be specified with all the toys a multi-millionaire could dream of, including seat back DVD players, champagne fridges and folding walnut work stations. Bentley also claims that a new, smoother-shifting eight-speed gearbox has improved fuel economy.
From: £252,200 | www.bentleymotors.com
Porsche 911 owners have a reason to feel smug, as they possess arguably one of the best-performing sports cars for under £100k. Mercedes plans to thoroughly dampen the spirits of one of its closest rivals with the new AMG GT - a ferocious 4.0-litre V8-powered beast that produces a whopping 503bhp in the most fiery 'S' models. Not only will it accelerate from 0-62mph in just 3.8 seconds but it also boasts the sort of Mercedes tech that leaves rivals in the proverbial dust, too. A stylish infotainment screen borrowed from the current C-Class sits proudly in the middle of one of the sexiest cockpits of recent years, while a touchpad control system takes the effort out of scrolling through endless menus. It even packs a 350-litre boot, which will surely please those customers who like to hit a tiny ball with various sized sticks when it lands on privileged driveways early next year.
From £110,000 | www.mercedes-benz.co.uk
This is quite simply the most powerful open-top model Ferrari produces as the already mind-melting 4.5-litre V8 engine has been fettled to develop a frankly ridiculous 597bhp. The 'A' in the name stands for Aperta, which is the Italian for 'open' but more importantly signifies a model with a timelessly cool spider-style fabric roof. Just 499 cars will be produced but those lucky customers can look forward to a 0-62mph dash in just 3 seconds flat and top speeds in excess of 200mph. There is also the option of racing livery on the outside, which is perhaps a fitting tribute to Ferrari's notorious naturally aspirated V8 engine that is due to be replaced by a twin-turbocharged unit next year.
From: £220,000 (est) | www.ferrari.com
The humble MX-5 is now 25 years old and there's no better time to release an all-new iterant that sticks true to track-day devouring principles of the original but also boasts a host of new features to bring it bang up to date. Slated for an early 2015 release, the new MX-5 is shorter, lower and wider than the current generation. More importantly, it's over 100kg lighter, meaning improved performance and fuel consumption. The UK is braced to receive both 1.5-litre and 2-litre SkyActiv engines, the most potent producing 165bhp, which is more than enough for a few 'tail-happy' thrills and spills. The interior has also been tidied up, with a neat multimedia screen borrowed from the current Mazda3 controlling a host of smartphone-enabled apps and a cool rotary function dial adding to the mini Jaguar F-Type feel of the whole thing.
From £20,000 (est.) | www.mazda.co.uk
The entry-level Land Rover Freelander will soon be no more, as the tech-heavy new Disco Sport rolls into town to replace it. The mud-plugger features a cool 'five plus two' seating format that ensures even the largest families can squeeze into the sleek machine, while a new eight-inch touch-screen display takes care of the infotainment. Customers can also look forward to a host of InControl apps that not only provide a 3G hotspot for occupants but can also act as a vehicle tracker. Owners can even lock, set the climate inside and start the vehicle remotely via a smartphone. But because this is a Land Rover, it can still scramble across loose surfaces and cope with all of the off-road duties the previous Discovery was lauded for.
From £32,395 | www.landrover.co.uk
The advent of the SUV may have seen plenty of jacked-up and tough-bodied hatchbacks clogging up roads on the morning commute but it has done little for those who actually need to traverse the odd hill and icy route. The new Jeep Renegade changes all that, particularly the Trailhawk edition, which goes up against the likes of Mini's All4 Countryman and top-spec Nissan Qashqais but features real 4x4 underpinnings. A low ratio gearbox ensures it can tackle steep declines, impressive approach and departure angles mean it can traverse moguls and massive potholes, while a Terrain Selec function allows the driver to manually select the best traction control system for the surface ahead. It also looks like a life-size Tonka Toy, with all the protective bodywork and chunky tyres that any off-road aficionado could possibly wish for.
From £17,000 | www.jeep.co.uk
Owners of the McLaren MP4-12C were rather disgruntled when the Surrey sports car maker unveiled the 650 S - a slightly better MP4-12C with a face like the awesome P1 hypercar. They're about to get even more envious as a drop-top Spider iterant is now available to order. The 641bhp, twin-turbocharged 3.8-litre V8 remains untouched but the roof has been hacked away to allow better access to the sun and engine soundtrack, which could do with being a bit more ferocious if we're brutally honest. Interior tech, such as the satellite navigation and Bluetooth pairing functionality, has been improved but they're still a little bit clunky. Regardless, this is a proper, breathtaking supercar that has been designed to use on a daily basis and what's not to love about that?
From £215,250 | McLaren
The most powerful car in Rolls-Royce history also packs a pretty impressive arsenal of tech. Voice-activated satellite navigation ensures the driver never has to take eyes off the road, the Rolls-Royce Connect iPhone app beams RSS feeds to the main in-car touch screen and a head-up display can be further specified to display important information, such as speed and navigational instructions, in front of the driver's eyes. It's also stonkingly quick, with the Wraith's impressive 624bhp shifting its bulk from 0-60mph in just 4.4 seconds. The eight-speed ZF auto gearbox is perhaps one of the most remarkable features, as it works in conjunction with the satellite navigation system to determine the perfect gear to be in. Heading for a slip road? No problems, the car will select an appropriate gear for acceleration. Big descent coming up? Fear not, the clever gearbox will select a low gear to ensure you're not gathering too much pace. It's extremely clever, it's just a shame that it costs as much as a house.
From £229,128 | Rolls-Royce
We didn't think it was possible to make the stunning F-Type look any better but the addition of a sleek hard top seems to have proved us wrong. Driving dynamics have also been improved thanks to the increased torsional rigidity provided by a solid roof, but most mere mortal won't even notice this. However, they will notice the snarling soundtrack produced by the insane 542bhp V8 engine. This car is a complete animal, accelerating from 0-60mph in just 4.0 seconds and threatening to eat its own tyres every time the accelerator is prodded. Inside, you'll enjoy Jaguar's functional, if not exactly cutting-edge digital display and some beautifully crafted buttons and switches, many of which make the car faster and louder, which is nice.
£85,000 | Jaguar
The French marque didn't stray far from the original concept when it released the Cactus this year and that's a good thing. Clever Airbump technology sees large rubber panels added to the doors in order to prevent supermarket prangs, a new touch screen display sits amid the futuristic dash and the styling is brilliantly madcap. It's pretty practical too, with loads of interior space for carting around kids and their possessions. A driver's car this is not (109bhp is your max output) but it is clever, with 3G connectivity and access to the likes of Trip Advisor, Coyote speed camera recognition and fuel finder applications offered on even the most basic models.
From £12,990 | Citroen
How does 425bhp, 405lb ft torque, a top speed of 155mph and the ability to cart around four passengers sound? It sounds too good to be true but it's not, because it is available in BMW's latest M3, a monstrous Tarmac-muncher that can transform into a gentle cruiser at the touch of a button. The German marque's iDrive infotainment system takes a bit of getting used to but it also boasts one of the most powerful processors around for super fast satellite navigation and rapid menu changes. In-car entertainment aside, there isn't much else out there that blends this level of performance with the everyday practicality of a family wagon.
£56,175 | BMW
BMW's answer to the Porsche Macan and Range Rover Evoque is basically a shrunken X6 that runs on the same platform as the X3. Are you confused? We are, but that won't stop the German manufacturer from releasing a torrent of new models. Three diesel engines are on offer in the X4, with the most powerful kicking out an impressive 308bhp and 465lb ft torque. Spec-wise, things get interesting (read really pretentious) when you opt for the M Sport variants, which add huge alloys, flared arches and more aggressive body styling.
From £36,590 | BMW
If you want supercar-slaying performance on a tight budget, there is only one manufacturer you need to turn to. In fact, make that two. Subaru and Mitsubishi have been producing beefy, rally-inspired saloons for years now and the former's latest offering is no different. The new WRX STI may look sparkly and new from the outside but it's the same old gruff grunt underneath the plastic surgery. A 2.5-litre boxer turbo engine that produces 296bhp powers the machine, which is all driven through a six-speed manual gearbox to all four wheels. Despite a major external overhaul, the interior feels pretty dated, with little in the way of in-car tech to get excited about. Still, the old powerhouse continues to possess some of the highest grip levels known to man and a brilliantly tune-able engine. It's still got 'boy racer' written all over it, though.
£28,995 | Subaru
Nissan's mud-plugging monster has been given a much more user-friendly makeover. Gone is the utilitarian interior and functional styling as we usher in high-tech gadgets and Qashqai-doppelganger styling. Customers can only plump for the 1.6-litre turbodiesel engine but a number of trim grades allows the gadgets bin to well and truly raided. Opt for the Tekna trim and you get massive 19-inch rims, a seven-inch touch-screen display and NissanConnect, which allows for social media access on the move. You know, so you can Facebook that awesome picture of you parked at the top of Mount Everest.
From £22,995 | Nissan
This new 'budget' Lambo boasts the traditioal dollop of sheer power - 610bhp and a top speed of over 200mpg - and six-figure price tag, but blends it with some very modern touches, from a 12.3-inch LCD screen to a robo-controlled gearbox, hybrid aluminium and carbon construction, and start-stop tech that kills its beast of an engine dead at the lights.
£165,000 | Lamborghini
its styling is unashamedly aggressive: very big and, well, very American. It's the same story under the bonnet, where an all-American three-litle V6 TurboDiesel engine resides, belting out 247bhp and a 0-60mph of 8.2 seconds. Despite that raw grunt, Jeep claims it still manages 37.7 miles per gallon, which trumps British SUV rival the Land Rover Discovery.
Inside the cabin sits the 8.4-inch touchscreen next to the seven-inch instrument panel. It runs Jeep's Uconnect in-car OS, giving you access to DAB radio, satnav directions, music, movies and Bluetooth phone calls, direct control of heating for the seats and wheel, plus a mirror dimme that removes the glare of headlights from the cars behind you.
£48,095 | Jeep
There have been turbocharged Fezzas before, but the 552bhp, 196mph California T is the first truly modern model with turbos. On paper, everything is better: it's more powerful, faster and miles more efficient than the old, naturally aspirated model, without losing the blood-curdling, life-affirming, high-rev thrills that make Ferraris so special.
£150,000 | Ferrari
Handset integration is courtesy of Vauxhall's snazzy Intellilink multimedia system, with its seven-inch touchscreen control. This adds audio playback via analogue, digital and web radio - TuneIn Radio and Stitcher apps supply the latter - and navigation via the BringGo app, which displays in-car but actually runs on your smartphone, with both iOS and Android supported (and full Siri connecivity for iOS). The chassis is much more responsive than you expect and while, with just 87bhp, it's not exactly a piping hot hatch, this thing really handles.
From £14,995 | Vauxhall
The new TT is one of the techiest cars ever made, with a spec list like a next-gen smartphone's: dual-quadcore CPUs, high-res LCD screen, 4G connectivity, touch controls, computer-controlled LEDs in teh headlights and even a search enging, as well as an actual engine. It's the best driving TT yet, too, thanks to a steel and aluminium hybrid construction, an active four-wheel drive system that can vector torque individually to each wheel and 0-60mph in under six seconds.
£25,000 | Audi
The 1.7-litre engine is a tweaked version of the four-cylinder job in Alfa's Giulietta hatchback, this time bolted behind the seats in mid-engine configuration. with a new aluminium block and the turbo turned up to 11, it cranks out just shy of 240bhp - impressive for such a small engine. This may be down in some part to the carbon-fibre chassis, pretty much unheard of at this price. It does 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds, but the 4C isn't trying to compete on speed, it's a supercar for people who favour great handling, the latest dual-clutch paddle-shift technology and sleek styling to die for.
From £45,000 | Alfa Romeo
The NX's gargantuan, gaping grille is intimidating, but not as intimidating as this mid-sized SUV's class-leading tech list: wireless charging dock for your smartphone, heads-up display and a G-sensor to track the power of your acceleration, panoramic cameras for parking and a blind spot monitor. It all comes wrapped up in two versions: the first a petrol-electric hybrid, the second a balls-out 235bhp, all-wheel drive monster. We know which one we'd pick.
From £29,495 | Lexus
The 3.0-litre, V6 turbocharged diesel engine is frugal and, paired with the 70-litre fuel tank, delivers a cracking range of almost 1,100km. To achieve that, Maserati has intentionally kept the maximum power down to a modest 270bhp. Considering the Quattroporte weighs a chunky 1,800kg, you'd be forgiven for expecting a sluggish ride, but this is far from the truth - torque is immense and immediate, delivering an exciting drive, hitting 62mpg in 6.8 seconds.
Luxury hasn't been overlooked: there's a Chrysler-esque 8.4-inch touchscreen satnav and audio is capably dispatched by a 15-strong fleet of Bowers and Wilkins speakers, with a USB input on the head unit and an optional Wi-Fi LAN hotspot.
From £68,000 | Maserati
A compact, sporty, crossover, 4x4, SUV, hatchback, luxury kinda car. You couldn't get more nichey if Stephen Hawking wrote book on quantum mechanics for left-footed premiership footballers, right? Actually, no, they're all the rage and Merc's version comes complete with slick, iPhone-integrating COMAND multimedia kit.
£25,000+ | Mercedes
Flogging a two-tonne luxury SUV on a fuel-efficient ticket seems roughly as authentic as Wayne Rooney playing the country squire in a borrowed cravat. But this V6 diesel-electric number matches the performance of the straight V8 model but guzzles 25 per cent less of the sticky stuff. Makes ya proud to be British.
From £80,000 | Land Rover
OK, this is officially billed as a concept car. But come off it Peugeot, this thing's a single-tone paint job short of full production trim. The 266bhp 1.6l engine's been half-inched from Peugeot's RCZ R, while the flared front wings and 19-inch rims are determinedly doable. Our money says this package appears shortly on Peugeot's hottest hatch ever.
From £25,000 | Peugeot | On sale: Autumn 2014 (TBC)
Until the BMW i8 came along, Porsche's 918 Spyder was a dead cert as the thinking man's supercar weapon of choice. It's still bally clever – not to mention miles faster - with its plug-in hybrid tech, 214mph thrust and 20-mile range in pure-electric mode. And it has possibly the slickest touchscreen in-car kit the world has ever seen.
£657,400 | Porsche
If the Alfa 4C unleashes our inner animal, BMW's cerebral i8 supercar is all about flattering our imagined inner Einstein. Yup, it's carbon-fibre galore again. But this time there's a tiny 1.5l petrol engine combined with lithium-ion electrickery for 356bhp and a preposterous 25g/km of CO2. Just one problem. It's set to cost about 100,000. Youch.
£100,000+ | BMW
How do you strangle damn-near 600bhp out of a 4.5l V8 without the aid of turbos? 9,000rpm is probably part of the answer, but only Ferrari really knows. But let's not worry our pretty little heads about the details. Instead, let's get hooked on the new free-basing formula of what was already the world's most addictive automobile.
From £205,000 | Ferrari
This year's undisputed bad-boy-of-the-show award goes to the bonkers, the barmy, the basically batshit Brabus B63S-700. It's based on Mercedes' G63 AMG 6x6, itself an escapee from the automotive asylum with its six-wheel drive and over 500hp. But that's not batty enough for tuning outfit Brabus, who ups the ante to nearly 600hp.
From £350,000 | Brabus
Mamma mia, eetsa preeeetty car, si? Oh yes. But it's also the swansong for the Gallardo, the most successful model in Lamborghini's history. The goodbye riff includes 562bhp at a soul-searing 8,000rpm and a robo-shifting paddle-operated gearbox. And it's that little bit more manly than the default-option Ferrari 458.
From £190,000 | Lamborghini
Alfa's new Porsche-pummeling pocket supercar looks so achingly awesome we want to grope it, we want to spank it, hell we might even want to eat it. Just as long as we can have our wicked way with it. The fact that it's also a techno tour de force thanks to its super-light carbon-fibre structure and dual-clutch gearbox just adds to the trouser-tenting tingle.
From £51,600 | Alfa Romeo
VW's iconic Golf is Marks and Sparks on wheels. It defines middle-market motoring with an aspirational twist. But now there's this pure-electric effort and optional extras like robo-parking and radar-controlled cruise. It's a bit like pulling on a pair of M&S pants and finding a touchscreen sown in front of your, cough, area of expertise.
From £25,000 | Volkswagen
A 17hp electric buggy with all the racing prowess of a milk float isn't exactly the obvious choice for an F1 tie-in, but that's what's happened with the Renault Twizy F1. The entire KERS pack has been lifted from Kimi Raikkonen's Renault-powered F1 racer – battery, 80hp electric motor, the lot. The result is a six-fold increase in power and enough performance to keep the mighty Renault Megane RS 265 honest. The look? It's “distinctive”, let's say…
Price: £TBC | Renault
As the competition goes soft and starts including cup holders and the like, Lambos still look like this: the Aventador LP 700-4 Roadster. From the scissor doors and the near-horizontal windscreen rake to the fact it hits 217mph with the roof off, nothing here has much to do with real-world driving. All-carbon fibre construction? Yup. Flappy paddle gearbox with whip-crack gear changes? Uh huh. 6.5-litre, 700hp V12 and all-wheel drive? Oh yes. Love it.
From £288,840 | Lamborghini (opens in new tab)
The future of motoring and the death of fossil fuels the electric four-wheeler has a 22kWh lithium-ion battery and 87bhp electric motor with a top speed of 84mph. Juicing up 80 percent of the power source in 30 minutes and full in nine hours at home, the tech inside includes and Android-based seven-inch touchscreen that includes a TomTom sat nav and remote control so you can preheat the cabin remotely via an iOS or Android app.
From £15,500 | Renault (opens in new tab)
The top model of this all-electric car has a massive, 85kWh battery for a 265-mile range, and silently races to 60mph in a brisk 4.4 seconds. An All Glass Panoramic roof which can be controlled by the on board 17-inch touchscreen display will turn it into a convertible on a sunny day and will also let you access the web and HD radio stations and with two USB ports your fortunate passengers and charge up their tech as you head for the hills.
Price: £50,000 | Tesla Motors (opens in new tab)
The compact SUV and Dakar Rally winner has been a smash hit and now gets the full JCW treatment, serving up 218bhp from its 1.6-litre four cylinder turbocharged engine. The Countryman will do 60mph in 6.8 seconds and has a top speed of 140mph while the motorsport-inspired interior includes a sports steering wheel, a Piano Black centre console and seats with a stylish Carbon Black cloth trim to complete the makeover.
Price: £28,595 | Mini.co.uk (opens in new tab)
What does a triple F1 world champ wind down with when he's not in his Red Bull company car? Why, the £100,000 Infiniti FX Vettel Edition SUV of course. The Formula 1 inspired luxury vehicle packs a 5.0-litre V87 engine to help deliver a hefty 414bhp while inside you'll find wall-to-wall leather, an 11-speaker Bose audio system with USB input and a hi-res touchscreen to swipe your fingers over.
Price: £100,800 | Infiniti.co.uk (opens in new tab)
Hefty hatchback or SUV homunculus? Whatever the hell it is, the Juke's been given the Nismo treatment, with 200hp and “off-beat” bodykit. With its track-inspired design the Juke Nismo manages 197bhp and has an estimated fuel economy of 27 mpg while suspension has been lowered to achieve improved aerodynamics. A Bluetooth® Hands-free Phone System, Interface System for iPod comes as standard but there's also the option to add a Nissan Navigation System and 5-inch colour touch screen.
Price: £19,995 | Nissan.co.uk (opens in new tab)
The original wasn't short of shove; now this ups the ante to 549bhp thanks to the twin-turbocharged V8 engine which means 0-62mph in just over 4 seconds and a top speed of 155mph. Aside from its supercar speed and slightly tweaked looks the E63 gets adaptive sports suspension and a seven speed automatic gearbox which means four different driving modes. A 4Matic four wheel drive version is disappointingly reserved for folk outside of the UK.
Price: £74,920 | Mercedes-Benz.co.uk (opens in new tab)
A concept that is no longer a concept, this sleek ride weighs in at just 895kg and with the same four-cylinder 1750 Turbo engine as the one found inside the Giuletta Quadrifoglio Verde is capable of producing 237bhp. Hitting a top speed of 155mph and doing 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds, the super sports car-inspired 4C also includes the new Alfa DNA selector which offers three different driving modes – Dynamic, Natural and All-Weather and Race mode you know, when you want to feel like you are Sebastian Vettel…
Price: 60,000 Euros (Around £52,000) | Alfa Romeo (opens in new tab)
Officially confirmed to go into limited production, the two-seater is likely to see many of its most impressive innovations added to other cars in the Volkswagen range. If you do manage to get your hands on the eco-friendly diesel and electric hybrid, expec 314mpg and around 30 miles on a single charge emitting just just 21g/km of CO2 thanks to the 27bhp electric motor. Alternatively, the 800cc two-cylinder diesel engine with 47bhp clocks up to 62 miles on a single litre of diesel. Weighing in at just 795kg, the carbon fibre car also swaps wind mirrors for e-mirrors which project a virtual image onto screens inside the car to let you see what's going on behind you.
Price: TBC | Volkswagen (opens in new tab)
Feast your eyes on what the Italian supercar maker is calling the 'maximum expression' of excellence and from its sporty looks and impressive performance specs it's hard to disagree. Utilizing its Formula 1 expertise Ferrari is introducing the new HY-KERS hybrid technology that comprises of a 6.3 V12 litre engine and 160bhp electric motor which delivers 949bhp and helps making accelerating out of those tight corners much slicker. Made from a carbon fibre chassis, there will be only 499 of the red road beast made and they have already all been snapped up.
Price: TBC | Ferrari (opens in new tab)
Calling it the most powerful and dynamic Rolls Royce in history the fastback hosts a V12 engine which delivers 624bhp and can do 0-60mph in 4.4 seconds. It wouldn't be a Rolls of course if it didn't have a few extravagant touches so expect Phantom-grade leather interior and fibre optic lamps hand woven into the roof lining to create a 'glittering, starry night sky' effect. On the tech front there's one-touch voice activation commands and new Satellite Aided Transmission that uses GPS data that looks ahead of the route and then select the 'most appropriate gear' to get you to your destination.
Price: €245,000 (£212,000) | Rolls-Royce (opens in new tab)
Marking the 50th anniversary of the Italian car company, the Veneno is named after one of the fiercest fighting bulls, and you can tear up the tarmac thanks to a 6.5 litre V12 engine that produces a rip-roaring 750bhp with a top speed of 220mph. Carbon fibre materials used in the interior and the exterior help to make the supercar lighter than the Aventador and with just three units to be made finished in either green, red or white, this definitely one for the Russian oil magnates.
Price: £2.5m | Lamborghini (opens in new tab)
The lightweight roadster previously required checking the weather forecast before taking it for a spin, but in its GT guise has now added a little protection against the elements with a windshield which can be heated and side windows made from safety glass. Narrowing elements of the design like the headlights and hood to benefit the aerodynamics and its performance on the road, a 2.0 litre TFSI engine which comes courtesy of Audi delivers 285bhp. Details on the kind of speeds to expect from the GT have not been confirmed, but we'd like to think it will be pretty nippy even with the new additions.
Price: TBC | KTM (opens in new tab)
Not to be outdone by Ferrari, McLaren has made its own sexy F1-inspired hybrid supercar that looks it has been lifted off the racetrack. Marking the 50th anniversary of the UK car company, a 3.8 litre twin turbo V8 engine capable of 727bhp is matched by an electric motor that produces 176bhp which together is 903bhp to help you get from 0-62mph in less than three seconds. The carbon fibre design which guides air where it is most beneficial has been inspired by the McLaren F1 car that Lewis Hamilton drove in his 2008 Championship winning season and with just 375 going into production, it would need a F1 driver's wage to own one.
Price: £866,000 | McLaren (opens in new tab)
Calling it the most powerful and dynamic Rolls Royce in history the fastback hosts a V12 engine which delivers 624bhp and can do 0-60mph in 4.4 seconds. It wouldn't be a Rolls of course if it didn't have a few extravagant touches so expect Phantom-grade leather interior and fibre optic lamps hand woven into the roof lining to create a 'glittering, starry night sky' effect. On the tech front there's one-touch voice activation commands and new Satellite Aided Transmission that uses GPS data that looks ahead of the route and then select the 'most appropriate gear' to get you to your destination.
Price: €245,000 (£212,000) | Rolls-Royce (opens in new tab)
Sexy, gorgeous, speedy and outstanding, the Audi R8 V10 Spyder is a supercar that loves the city and the open road in equal measure.
The soft-top version of Audi's supercar hasn't lost any of its speed or sass reaching 62mph in 4.2 seconds and with a top speed of 194 mph. On the outside you'll find 19-inch wheels with Audi's Quattro tech and an adaptive suspension system. The electrohydraulic top comes down in 19 seconds and can be done at speeds up to 31 miles per hour.
Inside is just as impressive with built-in satnav, a plethora of proximity cameras so you don't scratch it while reverse parking, bluetooth phone connectivity and a multi-function steering wheel with paddle gears if you don't fancy the automatic.
To complete the high-tech luxury there's also high-end audio with B&O speakers - 14 in fact - and two amplifiers that'll create 465 watts of sound. If you fancy seeing one of these on your drive, expect to fork out at least a £100,000.
Price: £100,000 | Link: audi.co.uk
Piddling on the Prius's eco chips courtesy of its sporty looks, near-50mpg fuel efficiency and tarmac-frazzling power, it's also got some pretty special tech inside. Forking out for the top configuration will get you a glorious 8.8-inch high-def LCD display plus all the same cutting-edge kit you'll find in bigger BMWs, from slick 3D mapping to internet connectivity, iDrive and remote services.
Price: From £30,555 | bmw.co.uk (opens in new tab)
The name just means “four door” but forget sensible dullness; this V8 über-saloon is Italian panache personified with a eight cylinder V90 engine capable of 405bhp to help hit top speeds of up to 167mph. The typically slick interior which is available in a selection of 'prestigious' woods houses electronically adjustable seats, screen mounted entertainment system, a DVD player in the back and electronically operated sunroof when you want the wind blowing in your hair down the motorway.
Price: £89,000 | Maserati.co.uk (opens in new tab)
Bigger and more luxe, but also faster and more efficient than before, there's no way this can still be written off as a “poor man's Porsche”. Available with either a 2.7 or 3.4 litre engine, the former delivers 275bhp and the latter a meatier 325bhp so expect 0-62mph in under six seconds. Inside you'll have the option to include a Burmester stereo and adaptive cruise control when you are taking it for a spin on the coast.
Price: £39,694 | Porsche.com/ku (opens in new tab)
The understated elegance of this classy new saloon means Skoda now delivers where the likes of Mercedes and Audi no longer dare. With petrol, diesel available with a Greenline model slated for release later in 2013, all models will ship with Bluetooth and USB support, DAB radio to take care of the in-car entertainment but if you opt for the top of the end Octavia, there's touchscreen displays and swipe controls to play around with as well.
Price: £17,995 | Skoda.co.uk (opens in new tab)
Boasting a meaty 4.0-litre V8 which can crank out 500hp and 487lb/ft of Torque, Bentley's outrageously luxurious new ride sports an interior carved from dark fiddleback eucalyptus, soft leather seats and delivers “40 per cent reduction” in carbon emissions whilst maintaining its muscular looks.
Price: £125,870 (GT coupé), £138,470 (GTC cabriolet) | Bentley (opens in new tab)
Stylish, tech-savvy drivers: the Vauxhall Adam wants a piece of your car-buying action. It comes in Jam, Glam and Slam trim levels, with James Blonde, White My Fire and Buzz Lightgreen paint options. If you can live with that level of try-hard “coolness”, the car itself is contemporary, crisp, and inexpensive. It's also packed with tech including, for just £279, the seven-inch touchscreen-driven IntelliLink system, offering integration with iOS, Android and Windows Phone.
Price: From £11,255 | Vauxhall (opens in new tab)
The luxury SUV before there were SUVs the Range Rover has been reinvented shedding 420kg from the previous model with a supercharged petrol V8 engine under the hood. Twin LCD screens and a remote-controlled AV system are also packed in but the real tech surprise is a Dual-View touchscreen that let's the passenger watch TV, while the driver tries to read the map.
Price: From £71,295 | Land Rover (opens in new tab)
Aston's new range topper has been released to coincide with Skyfall. It's equally big budget and similarly world class.
Price: £189,995 | Aston Martin (opens in new tab)
Audi's supercar has finally received the dual clutch gearbox it always deserved, plus seamless 200mph thrust.
Price: £127,575 | Audi (opens in new tab)
Slip on your sensible shoes and stay-pressed action slacks: the Rapid delivers tried and tested VW tech in an elegant, affordable package.
Price: £12,000 | Skoda (opens in new tab)
Worried about emissions and MPG? The Vauxhall Astra VXR isn't for you, then. But its affordable, old-school handling could unleash even George Monbiot's inner ruffian. On the basic specs front it hits 275bhp managing nearly 300lb/ft of torque through the front wheels and has a £27,000 sticker price. The VXR also sports dampers with the FlexRide system which makes three different stiffness levels available at the touch of a button: Normal, Sport and VXR. The VXR isn't about precision. It is about power and edge. It's about stamping on those Brembos brakes.
Price: £26,995 | Vauxhall.co.uk (opens in new tab)
Petrol-electric hybrids hit the mainstream with competitive pricing making the Yaris Hybrid – and others like it – an option for more punters. Dodging the London congestion charge, the Yaris has a CO2 figure of just 79g/km and is capable of 99bhp with the help of the re-engineered Hybrid Synergy Drive. You can also expect a quiet drive when taking it out on the open road.
Price: £14,995 I Toyota.co.uk (opens in new tab)
Missing in action since 2004, it's pre-war style meets modern alloy chassis and BMW engine tech in the Morgan Plus 8. Weighing in at 1100kg, the automobile packs a 4.8 litre engine capable of 367bhp and can do 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds and hit a top speed of 155mph. It's lovingly hand-built but also a tad pricey.
Price: £85,200 | Morgan-motor.co.uk (opens in new tab)
Audi's five-door coupe gets an injection of adrenaline, with a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 that'll make the commute “interesting”, the Sportback sports saloon has a much bite as the R8 it carries a 4.0-litre TFSI twin turbo V8 engine that produces an output of 420 horsepower, 405.66 lb/ft of torque and does 0-62 mph in just 4.7 seconds. MMI Navigation means support for route data and Google Earth while the car's Wi-Fi hotspot means you stream music via Bluetooth to the 15-speaker B&O sound system.
Price: £61,995 | Audi.co.uk (opens in new tab)
An advanced hybrid powertrain and gaping, 12.3-inch LCD screen with a LED precision analogue clock make this a prince amongst Lexi (that's the plural of Lexus). Sporting 18-inch alloy wheels, the Luxury model of the GS can hit a top speed of 155mph and do 0-62mph in just under six seconds. Blind spot detection system and pricey Mark Levinson speakers packed inside also gives this latest Lexus serious tech credentials.
Price: £44,995 | Lexus.co.uk (opens in new tab)
For wind in your hair at over 200mph, try the drop-top Spider variant of McLaren's technotastic supercar. If you've got a big enough wallet to buy one, you will be rewarded with a MP4-12C coupe-like interior with a carbon-fibre monocell chassis and the supercar speed demon that can produce 616bhp courtesy of a 3.8 litre twin turbo V8 engine and 0-60mph acceleration in 3.1 seconds. Did we mention that the retractable roof also folds away in 17 seconds?
Price: £195,000 | mclarenautomotive.com (opens in new tab)
A double-clutch gearbox and world-beating iPhone integration put an end to accusations of A-Class fustiness. The 5.8-inch colour display mounted on the dashboard supports USB, includes a Becker sat nav and also offers the Command Online cloud multimedia service to search the web from your seat. Under the hood of the sleek bodied interior is a two litre engine which produces 211bhp and will sprint from 0-60mph in 6.6 seconds.
Price: £26,885 | mercedes-benz.co.uk (opens in new tab)
No turbo , no double-clutch gearbox, no active suspension; just pure, undiluted driving fun. That's the idea behind Toyota's new sports car. But just because it drips with retro cool, doesn't meant the GT86 isn't revving some bleeding cut edge. Delivering 197bhp from a two litre engine and a top speed of 140 mph, an extra £750 will get you Toyota's Touch & Go infotainment system that amongst other things includes access to Google Search.
Price: £24,995 | Toyota.co.uk (opens in new tab)
This limited edition supercar has an ultra-lightweight, 80kg “spaceframe” chassis, which can be bulleted to 62mph in under three seconds, and thence to 189mph, like a Batmobile being dropped off a cliff. All that's required is a powerful-but-not-massively-so, 4.4-litre, 450 bhp, BMW V8 engine. Invictuses will be handmade at the rate of just 250 per year, so you'd better move with equal rapidity.
Price: £TBC | ifrautomotive.com/aspidcars (opens in new tab) | Out 2014
It might have the air of a sensible family car, but the 640d is actually purpose built for grinding out motorway miles with ruthless efficiency. Under the bonnet you'll find BMW's latest six cylinder twin turbo to serve up a hint of a V8-esque rumble, whilst inside the slick driving domain there's Google's Send to Car which puts Google Maps on your dash and the deftly integrated heads-up display. Quite simply, it's the perfect mix of a high-performance diesel engine with luxury styling and the latest in-car tech.
Price: £63,900 | BMW.co.uk (opens in new tab)
The outlandishly styled, lithium-powered, electric lunar buggy has finally rolled itself into the UK. Designed for 'urban driving' and sporting 'slides' for doors, the Twizy boasts a top speed of 50mph and can deliver 17bhp. Thanks to the electrical engine under the hood, you can also dodge paying road tax or congestion charges.
Price: £6,645 | Renault.co.uk (opens in new tab)
Now available in estate form and in a dazzling yellow, the 247bhp turbocharged Ecoboost engine sets the standard for hot hatches. If you are after some tech as well, the Sport Steering System will help you effortlessly negotiate around roundabouts and take corners, while the sporty Recaro seats will give you that racing feeling as you plough your way through traffic.
Price: £21,995 | Ford.co.uk (opens in new tab)
Okay, so it's a two-wheeler, but we think it's worthy of a mention this month. It's Italian. It's impossibly sexy. It's red. Still resisting? If that's not enough to convince you, Ducati has also graced the Panigale with a frameless chassis and 192bhp courtesy of the new Super L-Twin engine.
Price: £19,750 | Ducatiuk.com (opens in new tab)
Volkswagen's little cabriolet has a 1.2 litre petrol engine, and does 0-60 in 11.7 seconds. Not the quickest, you may think, but the Golf Cabriolet can be upgraded to include much more powerful engines, and Volkswagen's emissions-reducing 'BlueMotion' technology. "Zero to sunshine in just 9.5 seconds" says Volkswagen of the golf's retractable roof, so you'll only miss 19 seconds of the five minutes of sunshine we get this summer.
Price: £20,890 | Volkswagen.co.uk (opens in new tab)
The Italians rip up the rule book with 730bhp, 60mph in three seconds flat and an 8,700rpm redline. Ferrari's new 12-cylinder engine also slashes emissions and fuel consumption by 30%, and the Berlinetta as a whole is the most balanced, most compact, and lowest coupe Ferrari has ever made. Magnifico!
Price: £250,000 | Ferrari.com (opens in new tab)
Massive, 20-inch RS Spyder wheels and a power bump to 414bhp are the highlights of the sportiest Cayenne yet. The engine provides plenty of grunt, with 8 cylinders getting you from 0-60 in 5.7 seconds and levelling out at a sprightly 162mph. Thankfully, it comes in other colours, so you don't have to drive around like a giant tennis ball.
Price: £67,147 | Porsche.com (opens in new tab)
Estate car, SUV or radical diesel-electric hybrid? The 508 RXH is all of the above, in a way. It sports the same advanced Hybrid4 system to give you four drive settings EV, Hybrid, Sport and 4WD that aim to let you make the most of any environment and keep polar bears alive. 200hp plus 107g/km makes for a very impressive combo.
Price: £33,695 | Peugeot.co.uk (opens in new tab)
Bigger, more luxurious and more capable than ever, but incredibly also 30kg lighter, thanks to the miracle fabric known as “aluminium”. This is Porche's third generation Boxster, and with 261bhp and the capability to hit 0-62mph in 5.8 seconds one of the slickest and speediest cars on the road.
Price: £37,589 | Porsche.com/uk (opens in new tab)
Recently announced at the Geneva Motor Show the five-seater nestles a 65KW electric motor under the hood and should get you 130 miles closer to your distance before charging back up again. It's chic, it's electric, it's remarkably affordable, and the battery-leasing plan – £70 per month – makes for risk-free EV driving.
Price: £13,650 | Renault-ze.com (opens in new tab)
Sporting F1-inspired looks, the Renaultsport packs a two litre turbo engine to help pump out 265bhp, and should deliver aggressive suspension, a trick torque-biasing differential and a whole hill of turbo-charged performance. The central dashboard will also display information on real-time engine performance and acceleration times so you can feel like you're a real race driver…
Price: £24,825 | Renault.co.uk (opens in new tab)
Yes it's a car to pack the kids in the back and does 0-62mph in 8.6 seconds, but the DS5 with its quirky, snub-nosed styling and a torquey but efficient diesel electric engine delivers 99g/ km emissions which means it's exempt from road tax.
Price: £33,000 | Citroen.co.uk (opens in new tab)
ABS, DSC, ASC, CBC, DBC, DCT... keeping up with the new M6's tech spec is tricky; keeping pace with its 550hp performance is harder. Like the M5, you'll find a 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine under the hood, a 552bhp grunt and will do 0-62mph in under 5 seconds. The M6 will be available as a Coupe and a Convertible.
Price: £93,795 | BMW.co.uk (opens in new tab)
Audi's über estate is back, powered by a tweaked V8 engine, boasting 444bhp and a seven-speed gearbox. Expect to get 0-62mph in 4.7 seconds and if you are willing to part with more of your money you can increase the maximum speed to impressive 174mph.
Price: £55,000, Audi.co.uk (opens in new tab)
The V8 is far from efficient, but an increase in fuel economy from 17mpg to 27mpg helps. A 4.0 litre V8 engine provides the grunt, while hitting 0-60mph takes just 4.6 seconds and a potential speed of 188mph. It'll also turn heads with its jewel-like LED lights and huge dark mesh metallic grille.
Price: £122,000, bentley.co.uk (opens in new tab)
If you prefer your sporty numbers a little more on the compact side, the feisty new Roadster is a drop-top take on the go faster-striped Mini Coupé packing a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with Mini Connected kit also in tow.
Price: £20,900, mini.co.uk (opens in new tab)
We're big fans of Fiat's TwinAir engine. Slotted into the new third-gen Panda, it makes for a very efficient mini MPV with a unique character.
Price: £10,000
Link: Fiat
Packs a high-end lithium-ion battery, a combined 335bhp and emissions of just 149g/km. Enough to make anyone consider going green, surely…
Price: £46,860
Link: BMW
Audi's given its smallest model a large helping of five-door practicality. Despite the extra doors, the Sportback is still super compact. Clever.
Price: £13,980
Link: Audi
BMW 640i Gran Coupé
Blending slinky style with four-door practicality, this boasts a turbocharged, six-cylinder engine.
Price: £61,000
Link: BMW
Ginetta G60
Sick of digital precision. This has no turbos, no traction control… Not even ABS brakes. Just pure power in a lightweight package.
Price: £68,800
Link: Ginetta
Toyota GT 86
Rear-drive fun rebooted for the new millennium. The new BRZ is compact, light and ultraefficient. But with 200hp through the rear wheels.
Price: £28,000
Link: Audi
Vauxhall Astra GTC
The new Astra GTC is as close as you'll get to a modern-day Calibra. Striking to look at and a genuinely different drive to the five-door model.
Price: £21,380
Link: Vauxhall
Volvo V60 Plug-in
Awesome, 42g/km diesel-electric hybrid hits 60mph in under seven seconds, thanks to a lithium-boosted, five-cylinder engine.
Price: £47,000
Link: Audi
VW Beetle
The original new Beetle was a bum steer. Not so the new, Golf-based model. A hi-tech, 1.4 TSI engine combines 160hp with modest emissions.
Price: £16,490
Link: VW
Audi Q3
It's compact, it's fuel efficient, it's luxurious and it'll go anywhere. That's the pitch for Audi's new fun-sized car bar.
Price: £28,610
Link: Audi
Nissan GT-R
Nissan has actually made the GT-R even more powerful and agile. The turbo V6 now cranks out 560hp, Porsche 911s eaten on demand.
Price: £73,500
Link: Nissan
BMW 3 Series
BMW's new 3 brims with tech. Highlights include “aero curtains” which shave a whole 1g/km from emissions. Greenpeace will be chuffed.
Price: £24,100
Link: BMW
Hyundai Veloster
Coupé style and hatchback utility in one. Driver's side has a single door, passenger gets a pair. Techy interior includes a touchscreen.
Price: £17,995
Link: Hyundai
VW Up!
VW's tiny, clever Up! is small in stature but big on features and quality. An extra touchscreen satnav is particularly good value at just £275.
Price: £7,995
Link: Volkswagen
Porsche 911 Carrera
All-season, every-reason supercar updated with part-aluminium construction and, somehow, sub-200g/km carbon emissions.
Price: £71,449
Link: Porsche
Lotus Evora
Updated for 2011 with a more premium cabin, sleeker looks and a V6 growl that would scare a hungry polar bear.
Price: £62,450
Link: Lotus Cars
BMW 118d
Another diesel-powered, MPG-heavy take on a classic topless model. Anyone would think fuel was expensive…
Price: £28,090
Link: BMW
Porsche Panamera
New, economical, diesel version of the fi ve-door supercar that Porsche claims can do 745 miles on one tank.
Price: £59,435
Link: Porsche
BMW i8
Burning up the tarmac, but not fossil fuels so much, this is the i8 from BMW. It's an electric/petrol hybrid with four-wheel-drive and fuel economy to match a city car. BMW's been testing the i8 for two years and it'll go on sale next year. The i8 uses a newly developed petrolelectric hybrid drive system. Depending on conditions, it can run on a combination of the traditional internal combustion engine and electric, or solely the latter.
With both engines double-teaming, the i8 pulls 349bhp and delivers a 0-62mph time of 4.6sec, comparable with an Audi R8 or a BMW M3. Here's the really jaw-dropping stat though: BMW claims 104mpg and just 66g/km of CO2 emissions. Beans on toast produces more pollutants.
Price: £150,000
Link: BMW
Ford Focus Studio
Entry-level, five-door hatchback with a 1.6-litre Ti-VCT petrol engine, 16-inch alloys and USB connectivity.
Price: £13,995
Link: Ford
Maserati Gran-Turismo S Automatic Sport Pack
Faster gearshifts and an exhaust that really wails.
Price: £92,480
Link: Maserati
Mazda CX-5
This compact SUV is the first of Mazda's new generation. CO2 ratings begin at under 120g/km.
Price: CIRCA £20,000
Tremble, mortals: this is the M5. The most powerful series production car that BMW has ever made. The M5 has a 4.4-litre, turbocharged V8 engine with 552bhp. It nails 0-60mph in 4.4 seconds, then, another nine seconds later, it reaches 124mph. The top speed has been limited to 155mph, although with a few sneaky tweaks it'll go all the way to 200mph.
Despite all that, there's also a big boot, rear seats and a more refined feel - it's a family saloon on amphetamines and steroids, in short, and as a result it's got a nasty temper. The paddle-shift gearbox uses two clutches and offers seven speeds in both manual and auto modes. Techheads will also love all the gadgetry, which includes night vision and a dash that displays Facebook and Twitter updates.
Price: £73,040
Link: BMW
Only 100 available in the UK, with titanium-effect paint and red brake callipers.
Price: £93,935
Link: Audi
New Minis have four engine choices - three petrols and one diesel - with air-con and parking sensors as standard.
Price: From £16,640
Link: Mini
A beefier-looking version of the original family estate now comes with a built-in satnav and heads-up display.
Price: £TBC
Link: Peugeot
Mercedes' SLS was famed for its gullwing doors, but for the latest update, Merc's engineers have decided against the big flappy entry ports... And a roof, come to that. They evidently didn't think the original was quick enough either, so they've also added a proper, rumbling V8 with an engine note to die for.
The result is the open-top SLS AMG Roadster, which accelerates from 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds and is "limited" to a top speed of 196mph. AMG Ride Control lets you use built-in electronic dampers to adjust the ride and handling. Inside, as well as plenty of expensive feeling leather and carbon fibre, there's mobile internet access and AMG Performance Media, a system that displays engine performance, lap times and more.
Price: Circa £180,000
Link: Mercedes
Out now
Mid-size coupé with four engine options: one diesel and three petrols with a high performance VXR to follow.
Price: from £18,495
Link: Vauxhall
One-off speed demon with a 550+bhp engine running on 120-octane race fuel.
Price: £TBC
Link: Skoda
Third-generation SUV gets permanent all-wheel drive and new chassis and driving dynamics systems.
Price: £TBC
Link: Mercedes
This sports car is what happens when you mix design from an Italian styling house with the legendary expertise and power of Britain's Aston Martin. This is the V12 Zagato. Aston has worked with Zagato before, producing the swinging and groovy 60s classic the DB4 GT Zagato. In fact, the V12 is released to commemorate the 50th anniversary of that icon, and is built around the same Vantage V12 engine found in James Bond's DBS.
In typical Aston fashion, it'll be raced to prove its mettle. Not just any race, either; the testing ground is the fearsome, 24-hour endurance classic at the Nurburgring. Dr Ulrich Bez, CEO of Aston Martin, will be driving one of the two V12 Zagatos entered - now that's a hands-on management style.
Price: £200,000
Link: Aston Martin
Unique colours, side stripes and 19-inch alloy wheels, plus improved suspension for better cornering.
Price: £35,000
Link: Nissan
This special edition of the Fiat 500 is customised by Gucci's creative director Frida Giannini. Stylish wheels, man.
Price: £14,565
Link: Fiat
Built for the 75th anniversary of the BMW 328, the Hommage concept has jaw-dropping looks.
Price: £TBC
Link: BMW
Italian styling house Zagato celebrates Alfa Romeo's centenary with a carbon-fibre, 8.4-litre, V10-engined beast.
Price: £TBC
Link: Zagato
The Elise shaves off another 24kg but keeps a 134bhp 1.6-litre engine. Sublime.
Price: £27,500
Link: Lotus
Jaguar's tech-laden saloon gets a four-cylinder turbo diesel mated to an eight-speed auto gearbox.
Price: From £31,000
Link: Jaguar
German tuning firm Brabus is famous for its ridiculously powerful Mercedes conversions. With the iBusiness 2.0 (yes, really) it's turned a high-performance S-Class for CEOs into a mobile office stuffed with Apple products.
The iBusiness 2.0's twin-turbo V12 serves up an awesome 788bhp. Even more excitingly for tech heads, it's fitted with twin iPads - for the driver and their front-seat companion - Bluetooth keyboards, a Mac Mini and a 64GB iPod Touch, for your music-listening needs. The slickest, most touchscreen-filled car on the roads is also fitted out with yachting wood-trim and two-tone leather rather than the aluminium and magnesium alloy you might expect. Other than that, it's Apple through and through: desirable, pricey and prefixed with an "i".
Circa £500,000
Link: Brabus
Designed to look like a 60s Porsche, but a very modern 425bhp engine lurks inside.
Price: £150,000+
Link:
Road-legal, single-seat track car from true Brits Briggs Automotive. Hits 0-60mph in 2.8 seconds.
Price: £80,000 www.bac-mono.com
This actually looks like a British bulldog from the front. The fastest and most powerful series production Jag of all time it can reach 186mph and sprint from 0-60mph in 4.2 seconds. It's a direct rival to Porsche's 911 Turbo and Aston Martin's V8. They should be worried. Price: £97,000 www.jaguar.com
Yes: it's the world's first social networking car. Fitted with Wi-Fi and an Aha Radio app that translates text to voice it can monitor traffic, “hear” Twitter and Facebook updates, play podcasts or stream music. Emails and texts are also converted from text to speech. Price: £TBC www.rinspeed.com
What has considerably more power than a F1 car and a ski-box on the roof? The latest supercar from eccentric Swedes Koenigsegg has a 5.0-litre, twin-turbo V8 engine producing just over 1,100bhp and a fully carbon-fibre chassis. Price: £1,000,000 www.koenigsegg.com
The current crop of 911s, first introduced in 2005, is due to be replaced at the end of this year. But before the German classic goes to a better place (Exchange & Mart), the 1997 variant is having one last outing, with a production run of just 600 cars that are lighter, faster, and generally more brilliant than ever.
This, the 911 GT3 RS 4.0, is a four-litre version of the superb 911 GT3 RS 3.8. Under its bonnet sits the highest displacement engine of any road-going 911 ever. The chassis sits on a revised version of Porsche's computer-controlled Active Suspension Management system, and aerodynamics have been upgraded. It's born for pure driving thrills, hence there's no air-con, satnav or rear seats to hinder your enjoyment of pure cruising perfection.
Price: Circa £128,500
Out now
Link: Porsche
Alfa Romeo returns to the small sports car market with a 1.7-litre, 230bhp, turbo road rocket. Weight is said to be under 850kg – incredible. Tech highlights include a version of Alfa's electronic DNA system that controls suspension, steering and throttle settings. Price: £TBC www.alfaromeo.com
Another beautiful Aston, the Virage has an all-alloy, 5.9-litre V12 engine with 490bhp and a six-speed Touchtronic II automatic transmission with gearshift paddles. A new Adaptive Damping System (ADS) offers ten different settings in normal and sport modes. Price: £150,000 www.astonmartin.com
The Geneva Motor Show is one of those things the Swiss do well, like skiing, clock-making and hiding investors' cash from prying tax men. This Lamborghini LP700-4 Aventador was arguably the pick of the 81st show. It's a car of extraordinary numbers. Here we have 690bhp, 12 cylinders, 0-60mph in well under three seconds, a 217mph top speed and peak power delivered at a screaming 8,250rpm. A new, seven-speed gearbox swaps cogs in 50ms. Remarkable. Inside, three TFT screens are fitted, including a seven-incher for the satnav. Lamborghini has worked hard to improve the driver environment with more head and shoulder room than the car it replaces and better ergonomics. As if you needed another reason to want one. Price: £242,000 Lamborghini.com
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