The Best in Auto, From Ferrari’s 12Cilindri to a Hand-Built Motorcycle

In a category defined by superlatives, the Pininfarina Battista still defies apt descriptors when it comes to acceleration, agility, and design. The most powerful vehicle ever offered in the more than two decades of Robb Report’s Car of the Year contest, the 1,900 hp hypercar was the editorial team’s pick for 2025’s top honor—and is now our choice to be named Best of the Best in this bleeding-edge segment. The zero-emissions projectile, limited to no more than 150 examples, is propelled by four electric motors (one at each wheel) paired with a 120 kWh battery pack that delivers a claimed maximum range of 300 miles, depending on which of the five drive modes is selected. 

As for performance metrics, the 5,247-pound Battista—with a carbon-fiber monocoque chassis as its foundation—dispatches zero to 60 mph in 1.8 seconds on its way to a top speed of 217 mph, all while the pilot is ensconced in a customized cockpit. More eye-catching is the elegantly sculpted exterior, an aerodynamic study in fluid lines and graceful yet muscular curves—an aesthetic that, like the car itself, lives at the crossroads of balletic and ballistic. From $2.5 million 

Change is inevitable, even for automotive dinosaurs like Morgan. After 111 years of making cars with steel chassis and wooden body bucks covered in sheet metal, the U.K.’s tiny marque introduced an aluminum platform that underpins its all-aluminum-bodied cars. It may look nearly identical to its predecessors, but the new Plus Four is hardly the same. Introduced in 2020 and finally available stateside just months ago, it’s a bona fide 21st-century model that embodies the essence of a sports car with speed and handling that belie its classic appearance. 

Powered by a BMW 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four engine—generating 255 hp and 258 ft lbs of torque—the Plus Four also features a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission. The combination is enough to push the merely 2,233-pound (dry weight) roadster from zero to 62 mph in just 4.8 seconds and reach a top speed of 149 mph. As has always been the case with cars made by Morgan, it will build an example to specification, which includes painting, upholstering, and appointing it to the client’s taste. From $84,995 

What began as a military concept proposed to Mercedes-Benz by the Shah of Iran, the Geländewagen (German for “off-road vehicle”) has become a utilitarian status symbol, more often enlisted for shopping forays than four-wheeling. Yet those willing to test its mettle will discover a highly capable explorer that, with the new G 580, takes battery power to the backcountry. 

Weighing in at 6,746 pounds (curb weight), this all-electric G-Wagen is substantially heavier than its internal-combustion G 550 counterpart but offers considerably more punch. Four electric motors deliver 579 hp and 859 ft lbs of torque—an increase of 136 hp and 446 ft lbs over the G 550—backed by a 116 kWh battery that delivers an EPA-estimated 239 miles of range. While the refined interior channels the future-forward luxury of the S-Class sedan, the G 580 stays true to its rugged DNA. New all-terrain features include enhanced underbody shielding, a controlled-crawl setting, and the ability to rotate 360 degrees in relative place—ideal for both rock-strewn mountain passes and tight mall parking. From $161,500 

One of the challenges of aging is staying current, especially when it comes to adopting new technology. Yet in the automotive sector, the revered Porsche 911 has managed to remain at the forefront of engineering innovation for 62 years. The latest example: the hybrid 911 Carrera GTS. 

Although the marque has intermittently incorporated hybrid tech in race versions of its cars since 2010, the 2025 Carrera GTS is the first road-going 911 to pair its vaunted flat-six with electrification. Now enlarged to 3.6 liters, the engine benefits from an electric motor powering an exhaust-gas turbocharger along with another e-motor integrated into the eight-speed PDK transmission. Despite gaining 103 pounds over the previous Carrera GTS, the hybrid version has an output of 532 hp, which gives it more power and speed than even the 911 GT3 RS, all while preserving the model’s hallmark agility—something we experienced firsthand during our canyon-carving sessions. With the Carrera GTS, Porsche proves that age is just a number—and that its flagship has tapped into the fountain of youth. From $169,800 

This is the M car that North American BMW enthusiasts have been waiting for since, well, forever. The last M5-series “wagon” was made in 2010 and never came to the U.S. We’ll liberally expand the definition of sedan and say the BMW M5 Touring is better in every way than any four-door, since it can bring a trio of Saint Bernards or an upright bass, a contrabassoon, and a tuba along for the ride, something few other Autobahn haulers can do. Its 4.4-liter twin-turbo V-8 engine is paired with an electric motor to give the car a total output of 717 hp. That’s enough muscle to get this M5 to 60 mph from a standstill in 3.5 seconds. 

At a time when most BMWs don’t look so good to us, the M5 Touring respects its forebears and expresses an authentic design language, despite the absence of Hofmeister’s kink (a worthwhile investigation). It also speaks to the driver, delivering state-of-the-art power, dynamic handling, and a sense of total control—an overall level of performance that has always been a tenet of BMW M cars. And so, while we are delighted, we’re not surprised. From $121,500 

Becker Automotive Design long has been known for its exclusive executive mobile-office conversions of Cadillac and Mercedes-Benz vehicles. New for 2025, its Stretched Cadillac Escalade ESV Ultra-Luxury Edition is the first Becker-modified transport whose focus—instead of business—is pure pleasure. “Our best ideas always come from our customers,” says CEO Howard Becker, who saw the opportunity for families and friends to share an elevated travel experience. The reimagined Escalade features a refreshed exterior and substantial driver- and passenger-compartment upgrades, including a 55-inch curved dash display and automatically controlled opening and closing functions for all four doors. 

Becker artisans reappoint each interior with the finest leather and trim, while available airline-style rear seats take comfort to a higher level. Rear doors are lengthened 10 inches, and, notably, the wheelbase is stretched 20 inches, so middle- and third-row passengers each gain an additional 10 inches of legroom. If the cabin feels cavernous, it’s thanks to an additional five inches of rear-passenger headroom, courtesy of an all-steel raised roof. And because there is no center partition, the driver and up to five occupants can communally enjoy all the comforts of home while on the road. From $350,000 

When Ferrari unveiled its latest 12-cylinder grand tourer in 2024, we expected a nostalgic nod to Maranello’s greatest hits. Instead, we set our eyes upon the 12Cilindri, an audacious, aerospace-style GT that winked at the past and whisked us into Ferrari’s future. A trip through Luxembourg in the 819 hp Ferrari confirmed that while V-12 engines are endangered, the grand-touring experience is not. Even a hardcore supercar fan is secretly grateful when a suitcase can squeeze aboard or when the ride and cabin are calm enough for everyone to enjoy casual conversation. With its supple adaptive suspension, roomy trunk, rear parcel shelf, and dual digital screens, the 12Cilindri has road trips covered. 

Yet dial the model into racier modes and this Italian wildcat is unleashed, a mellow growl giving way to a 9,500 rpm shriek as it reveals itself as one of history’s fastest front-engine production cars. Add to that the marque’s famously responsive steering and ample Formula 1–based tech, along with a convertible version, and the result is an unabashed and unparalleled Prancing Horse. From $464,000 

Already crowned our Best of the Best Convertible when it was revealed in 2024, then named Robb Report’s 2025 Car of the Year after we drove it, the McLaren 750S Spider marks a return to the original spirit of the supercar. The British marque’s latest production flagship delivers the visceral thrill and performance bravado that have long fueled generations of motoring passion and aspiration—now at a new, more accessible level. The roadster’s purely internal-combustion power train features a 740 hp 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8—producing 590 ft lbs of torque—paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The setup propels the droptop from zero to 60 mph in 2.7 seconds and allows for a top speed of 206 mph. 

Inside, the driving experience is elevated with instrument displays that move with the steering column, an enhanced infotainment system, and improved control ergonomics. For further personalization, the McLaren Control Launcher (MCL) allows drivers to preset and activate preferred drive dynamics at the push of a button. Completing the package is McLaren’s signature exterior design, which evokes the sculpting forces of wind and water on stone—a look as timeless as the emotions it inspires behind the wheel. From $345,000 

Just as the Porsche 911 is widely considered the gold standard for sports cars, restoration house Singer sets the benchmark when it comes to reimagining the seminal model. Founded in 2009 by Rob Dickinson, the Southern California–based automotive atelier is guided by the philosophy that “everything is important”—an ethos that earned its DLS Turbo services our accolade last year, and now carries through to its latest triumph: the Classic Turbo restoration. 

An homage to Porsche’s first turbocharged 911—the 1970s-era 930—the Classic Turbo treatment begins with an air-cooled 964 generation 911 (built from 1989 through 1994). The donor is stripped to the chassis, meticulously reinforced, and prepared for a full athletic and aesthetic transformation. Highlights include a carbon-fiber body, a rebuilt and enhanced Mezger flat-six engine with twin turbochargers and air-water intercooling—and, in the case of the 510 hp commission we drove, a titanium exhaust system. With interiors worthy of an art museum, the result delivers a drive experience that lingers long after you step away from the vehicle. From $855,000 

Bentley has earned accolades for creating among the most sumptuous and satisfying interiors of any carmaker. With 771 hp and a 208 mph top end, the marque’s first hybrid Continental is the most powerful Bentley road car ever built—offering one more reason to spend time behind the wheel of this magnificent grand tourer. Opulent leather with distinctive stitching is a Bentley signature, as are a multitude of sustainably sourced wood veneers hand-laid by woodshop artisans, many of whose parents and even grandparents fashioned Bentley interiors over the past decades. 

The First Edition offers Bentley’s captivating Rotating Display (otherwise optional), a smooth veneer fascia situated in the center of the dash that rotates to reveal a 12.3-inch digital touchscreen or three classic analog instruments showing outside air temperature, a compass, and a chronometer. The exclusive First Edition also comes with a range of features that clearly signify its status, including distinctive exterior badges, treadplates, and embroidery inside. And music lovers will appreciate the Naim for Bentley audio system—unmatched in our experience—which turns Bentley’s GT supercar into a concert hall. From $302,100 

As noted with our winner in the EV category last year, battery-powered vehicles find their ne plus ultra in the Rolls-Royce Spectre, where technology enhances the brand’s core pillars of silent, sumptuous motoring. For 2025, that view holds—though the model itself evolves with the debut of the new Black Badge Spectre. Touted by Goodwood as “the most powerful Rolls-Royce ever,” the latest variant goes beyond an edgier, darkened trim to deliver 659 hp and 792 ft lbs of torque—an increase of 75 hp and 128 ft lbs of torque compared to the base model. 

Complementing this boost are the new Infinity and Spirited modes, which summon the full muscle of the two electric motors, powered by a 120 kWh battery. The latter mode serves as a launch control that allows the 6,371-pound (curb weight) Spectre to fire from zero to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds—an experience we recently sampled on a racetrack outside Barcelona, an unexpected yet fitting stage for a machine that simultaneously redefines and reinforces the legacy of the marque. From $465,000 

Antonio Schefle recently came to Houston via Madrid and set up 72 Performance USA. His stock-in-trade is building café racers based on BMW R- and K-series engines that distill each unique design into the most elemental of motorcycles. This year’s Handbuilt Show—the annual custom-motorcycle exhibition in Austin—featured the one-of-a-kind Aurora, a clean-slate design powered by a BMW 1,000 cc flat-twin engine from 1993, enhanced with modern performance upgrades to create a rarefied restomod. Aside from the fuel tank from a 1970 BMW R90, everything else is custom: The one-off frame uses a single adjustable rear shock, rear sets, and a leather and cloth seat made in Spain with Porsche’s pepita fabric. 

Triumph Daytona 955 forks and 320 mm floating rotors comprise the front end, while laced rims and a rear drum brake are reminiscent of historic race bikes, as is the straight-pipe exhaust. “BMW motorcycles have different bones than other brands,” says Schefle, “and that’s why café-racer fans either love them or hate them.” As for the Aurora, consider us enamored. From $65,000