The Best in Automotive, From Rolls-Royce Spectre to Porsche 911 S/T

Hypercar: Gordon Murray Automotive T.50s Niki Lauda

These days, the differentiation between “supercar” and “hypercar” is increasingly subjective and not just a matter of power. Consider that entrants in the top-tier FIA World Endurance Championship Hypercar class are limited to a total output (engine and hybrid system combined) of 670 hp; it just goes to show that while muscle is one thing, power-to-weight is what puts the “hyper” in hypercar—and what edged Gordon Murray Automotive’s T.50s Niki Lauda to the head of this year’s class.

Named in honor of designer Gordon Murray’s close friend, former Formula 1 colleague, and three-time Formula 1 World Drivers’ champion, the 761 hp track-only tour de force (limited to 25 examples) tips the scales with a dry weight of less than 1,985 pounds. This gives the aluminum-and-carbon-fiber two-seater—its cockpit configuration mimics the Murray-designed McLaren F1 GTR race car—a power-to-weight ratio that bests such models as the original 1,500 hp Bugatti Chiron. Factor in the 3.9-liter Cosworth GMA V-12 engine revving to 12,100 rpm and the 2,645 pounds of downforce, and the T.50s makes a compelling argument that the legendary F1 wasn’t Murray’s magnum opus after all. Approximately $3.85 million

SUV: Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV

In 1886, when Karl Benz introduced his single-cylinder, four-stroke Patent-Motorwagen, the internal-combustion engine was a breakthrough of bleeding-edge technology—one that went on to change the world. Today, the marque is looking past fossil fuels while remaining committed to innovative tech, which neatly sums up the Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV experience. This is the inaugural all-electric SUV for AMG, the German automaker’s motorsport-focused arm, and the pedigree is apparent despite the 5,768-pound curb weight and lack of AMG’s signature throaty growl. Dual electric motors supported by a 90.6 kWh battery make the base model a 617 hp grocery-getter with 701 ft lbs of torque and the ability to sprint from zero to 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds.

In this cutthroat category there are, of course, faster and more balletic SUVs, but what truly separates this Mercedes from the rest of the field is a cabin that George Lucas would envy. Consider the wildly detailed augmented-reality head-up display, Burmester 3-D surround sound, and sprawling, 56-inch Hyper-screen dash with a software system that becomes increasingly customized to your preferences over time, just for starters. This is a vehicle to delight early adopters who want a maximalist alternative to Tesla’s austere minimalism—a bigger, bolder, more luxuriantly utilitarian version of what an EV can and perhaps should be. From $109,300

Sedan: Bentley Flying Spur Speed

Don’t call it a comeback yet, but the sedan is entering a new age of exclusivity andperformance, and leading the charge is the Bentley Flying Spur Speed. The 626 hp four-door is expected to be among the last in the 105-year-old automaker’s lineup to be powered solely by a 12-cylinder engine—a power plant Bentley will stop producing this summer. Yet nostalgia isn’t why it tops this category for us. That would be the car’s combination of athleticism and finish.

The Flying Spur Speed hustles from zero to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds—quicker than the all-electric Rolls-Royce Spectre—and with a top speed of 207 mph, it can leave a 671 hp McLaren Artura in the rearview. The car’s dynamic all-wheel-drive system and all-wheel steering add grip and agility that belie the 5,373-pound curb weight, while the 48-volt Dynamic Ride setup adjusts stiffness in the turns; it’s shockingly nimble for such a stately four-door, even on track. The cabin, as expected, is defined by Bentley’s attention to visual and tactile delight, including such options as exotic-wood veneers, knurled switchgear, and 3-D diamond-quilted leather. While this benchmark sedan may represent the end of the marque’s unassisted 12-cylinder era, there’s nothing bygone about it. From $266,500

Supercar: Lamborghini Revuelto

The hybrid successor to the Aventador is one of the wildest Raging Bulls we’ve driven. Wisely, Lamborghini gifted the Revuelto the Aventador’s raging heart—a naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V-12—as there’s simply no substitute for that growing roar as the tach climbs. With a trio of electric motors, output is a whopping 1,001 hp, which allows the Revuelto to cover zero to 62 mph in 2.5 seconds on its way to a top speed of 217 mph. Under hard acceleration, it’s a delightful assault on the senses.

But immense power is nothing without poise. The model’s unflappable aplomb is thanks to better weight distribution and increased downforce compared with the Aventador, plus software that enables the electric motors either to fill torque gaps or enhance traction control, depending on what’s needed. Then there’s the super processor, constantly sending chassis-control corrections in order to enable cornering speeds that hardly seem feasible for a mere mortal to handle behind the wheel—but the Revuelto finds the grip (despite underwhelming Bridgestone tires—consider swapping out the rubber) and makes its performance envelope more approachable for a wider swath of drivers. From $604,363

Continuation Car: Bizzarrini 5300 GT Corsa Revival

Fast, beautiful, and rare, the Bizzarrini 5300 GT was one of the most promising Italian sports cars of its day. With Strada (street) and Corsa (race) variants totaling only 133 examples made through 1969, it hardly had the production span to prove engineer Giotto Bizzarrini’s vision. Founded in 1964, his namesake marque developed a coupe to dominate the track, which it did by taking first place in its class at Le Mans in 1965. Using a front-mid-mounted Chevrolet small-block V-8 engine—the motor had a displacement of roughly 5,300 cc, hence the “5300” designation—the model applied lessons learned from the Ferrari 250 GTO, another Bizzarrini design: “I started with the idea of the Ferrari GTO and set about trying to improve on it,” he said.

Those seeking a modern race version will want one of the 24 exacting copies produced by the resurrected Bizzarrini brand. Louder than a cement mixer and no more civilized, the contemporary 5300 GT Corsa Revival delivers a track-only experience identical to the original. For historic racers longing to travel back in time, here is your machine. Approximately $2 million

Show Car: MG 1957 EX181

Although the latest supercar crop now regularly breaks the 200 mph barrier, the unique MG EX181 did so back when Eisenhower was in the White House. At this year’s Rétromobile, the Parisian classic-car show known for attracting automotive unicorns, the otherworldly craft from MG (Morris Garages) glistened like a sleek and somehow still-futuristic jewel beetle. Its then-unparalleled straight-line performance proved the success of the design and was realized through the car’s aerodynamic efficiency, light weight, and high-strung, pint-size MGA twin-cam engine that was supercharged to within an inch of its life.

Perhaps most remarkable is that the 1.5-liter inline-four developed 290 hp at 7,000 rpm, a level of output unattainable by most cars with twice the displacement. Piloted by Stirling Moss on August 23, 1957, the British bolide established a speed record of 245.64 mph at the Bonneville Salt Flats. Two years later, with the vehicle carrying an even more powerful 1.5-liter engine, Phil Hill drove it to 254.91 mph—a hair more than the top speed of the 2005 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 nearly five decades later.

Restomod: Singer Vehicle Design DLS Turbo Restoration

Singer didn’t invent the idea of giving classic cars a modern interpretation just like Michael Jordan didn’t invent basketball—but both completely reinvented the game. Singer founder Rob Dickinson and his team have been reimagining the Porsche 964 (Stuttgart’s internal designation for the generation of air-cooled 911 models produced from 1989 through 1994) for 15 years and continue to hold court with their new turbocharged Dynamics and Lightweighting Study (DLS) treatment, despite growing competition.

Each commissioned DLS Turbo project starts with a complete deconstruction of an original 964 followed by painstaking chassis restoration and reinforcement. The subsequent resurrection includes a carbon-fiber body and the original flat-six engine—now given 3.8 liters of displacement—rebuilt with twin turbochargers and retuned to deliver more than 700 hp (compared to the approximately 247 hp of the initial 964), output that’s managed by a six-speed manual transmission. Whether the client wants the car for the track or for touring dictates aerodynamic accents such as a high-downforce wing or a ducktail spoiler. Regardless, the customized interior will showcase the other reason well-heeled clients continue to flock to Singer, which is its unparalleled aesthetic chops. Pricing available upon request

Convertible: McLaren 750S Spider

The soundtrack of the McLaren 750S Spider’s revamped, mid-mounted V-8 engine alone will make you want to drop the top even on overcast days. Engineers worked hard on a new, lighter exhaust that’s tuned to howl, scream, and snort—it would be a shame not to soak it in at full volume. After all, this is the most powerful production-series model yet from McLaren, with 740 hp and 590 ft lbs of torque. That output sends the 2,923-pound (dry weight) coupe from zero to 60 mph in 2.7 seconds and to a top speed of 206 mph. Also noteworthy are the front-end styling and cockpit design that won’t appear dated on future concours lawns (though we’re less enamored with the rear-fascia adjustments). But it’s the sensation behind the wheel that never gets old. With ignition cuts on downshifts delivering startling cracks and engine mounts tweaked to deliver a punch between the shoulder blades, the drive experience makes the model variant what every child envisions a roadster to be: exhilarating, evocative, and viscerally engaging. From $364,500 

Grand Tourer: Aston Martin DB12

Aston Martin calls its new DB12 a Super Tourer, which we suppose is meant to sit one rung above a grand tourer. Whatever the nomenclature, the coupe was named Robb Report’s 2024 Car of the Year, and understandably so. The DB12 succeeds the seven-year-old DB11, and while its signature styling remains pure Aston, 80 percent of the design is new. Like every predecessor since the DB4, it features seemingly unimprovable proportions and a seductive fastback profile. Befitting a proper GT, the snug interior is dressed in stitched-leather poshness; forget the back seats save for a small carryall or two—the DB12 is a driver’s car at its core, offering athletic vehicle dynamics and a 671 hp V-8 engine from Mercedes-AMG that gives it 34 percent greater output than the DB11. Notably, there’s new infotainment to replace Aston’s legacy systems—designed when Myspace was the social-media platform of choice—which makes this an Aston Martin that finally comes with no excuses, just superlatives. From $245,000

Executive Transportation: Becker Automotive Design Stretched Cadillac Escalade ESV Security Edition

Transformed by Becker Automotive Design, Cadillac’s Escalade ESV becomes a sumptuous and well-equipped mobile office for CEOs who want to fly under the radar while taking care of business on the move. Becker conversions meet or exceed every U.S. federal vehicle-safety standard, and now, in addition to a 20-, 26-, or 30-inch stretched wheelbase and raised steel-roof configurations, optional ballistic protection is available based on customer needs. Once inside, up to five rear-compartment occupants will find the spacious interior finished on a level of the finest European luxury sedans—yet even those don’t offer two airline-style seats and Cadillac’s most advanced air-ride adaptive suspension. When it’s time to close the laptop and silence the cell phone, you can take in movies or music on a 43-inch HD monitor with state-of-the-art surround sound. And, as always, the vehicle’s showroom-stock exterior allows this bulletproof Becker to remain a best- kept secret as it blends in with the crowd. From $550,000 

Sports Car: Porsche 911 S/T

The Porsche 911 s/t is a limited-production hat tip to the model’s 60th anniversary—but rather than embody the German marque’s vision for its flagship car moving forward, this variant strips away features and technology to recall the spartan spirit of early race-going 911s. In the interest of trimming fat, likable hallmarks such as rear-axle steering and a hydraulic clutch are gone; the obsessive retuning results in a drive experience that’s raw, unfiltered, and utterly engaging.

The S/T’s rough edges—among them a tambourine-like rattle at idle, akin to the soundtrack of a classic Ducati’s dry clutch—will disconcert the uninitiated, and the steering is so communicative that the wheel dances in hand. The overall result isn’t for everyone, but the unabashed violence of the 518 hp flat-six engine, the shortened (manual only) gear ratios, and the sharpness with which this lightest-available 911 slices and dices corners are why the 911 S/T has landed on this list. Don’t let anger at the inevitable dealer markups taint the engineering achievement: As a rolling ode to old-school motoring, sports cars don’t get better than this. From $290,000 

Interior: Bentley Batur

Outgoing bentley boss Adrian Hallmark—soon to be CEO at Aston Martin—pioneered the automaker’s so-called industrialization of personalization, which now translates to approximately 40 percent of Bentleys leaving the factory with bespoke options from the Mulliner coachbuilding division.

The 740 hp Bentley Batur, based on the Continental GT Speed, takes this customization to the next level, as each of the 18 examples is unique to its owner’s specifications. Inside, there’s a pleasing moratorium on plastic, with controls such as the air-vent organ stops and drive-mode dial available in titanium or 3-D-printed 18-karat gold. Also optional: a 20-speaker Naim audio system, one of the best we’ve heard in a production car.

The Batur flexes on sustainable materials, too. Its sculpted bucket seats can be hand-trimmed in low-carbon leather from Scotland or a leatherlike material made from the husks of coffee beans. A flax-based composite for the dashboard veneer can also be requested, as can deep-pile carpets derived from recycled yarn. The two-seater even offers tailored luggage occupying a shelf that replaces the Continental’s rear seats—though just spending time in this seven-figure enclave may be all the escape required. From $2.1 million

Electric Vehicle: Rolls-Royce Spectre

For many of the world’s most prestigious automakers, the muted driving characteristics of zero-emissions power trains are at odds with their most visceral and long-standing brand signifiers, from engine notes to transmission tuning. Not so for smooth and silent Rolls-Royce, whose ethereal Spectre EV only enhances the 120-year-old marque’s signature feel. It utilizes two electric motors (making nearly 664 ft lbs of torque) and a 120 kWh battery, a combination that allows the 584 hp Spectre to hit 60 mph from a standstill in 4.4 seconds despite its 6,371-pound curb weight. The drive is nimbler than expected; handling is refined by rear-wheel steering and a bolstered aluminum space-frame chassis, with the Spectre sporting a 30 percent increase in structural rigidity compared to its Ghost sibling. But between the electronically limited top speed of 155 mph, overly aggressive regen braking, and an EPA- estimated 266-mile range, this is a vehicle meant for long cruises behind the wheel or shorter jaunts in the back seat. The interior showcases Goodwood’s first entirely digital dash and, complementing the Starlight Headliner, the new Starlight Door treatment with 4,796 LED lights—a fitting accent for Rolls-Royce’s stellar all-electric debut. From $420,000

Motorcycle: Ducati Multistrada V4 RS

The 180 hp Ducati Multistrada V4 RS is a track-day missile that can also go the distance as a tourer. Its free-revving V4 power plant is derived from that of Ducati’s Panigale V4 superbike, contributing to the exceptional athleticism of a machine that still retains the versatility inherent to the innovative Multistrada line—a performance-to-utility ratio that was almost unthinkable a decade ago.

The bike’s multifaceted nature is evident in its four ride modes: Race, Sport, Touring, and Urban. Along with its 1,103 cc Desmosedici Stradale engine, the Multistrada V4 RS owes its performance in part to weight-reduction measures that include an aluminum-monocoque frame, a titanium subframe, a single-sided aluminum swingarm, and Marchesini forged-aluminum wheels. Then there’s the trick electronics suite, complete with adaptive cruise control (thanks to front and rear radar tech), blind-spot detection, and a host of nannies to help control all that output. We can vouch for the bike’s performance bona fides on a closed circuit, but definitely tick the box for the optional panniers—the Multistrada V4 RS also wants to devour long stretches of pavement. A comfortable tourer that could embarrass a five-year-old sportbike on track? Yes, please. $37,995