Cars -- 8 days ago
Words: Rory FH Smith
Words: Rory FH Smith
Every year, the automotive arms race appears to crank up a notch. Since the advent of the automobile more than a century ago, some of the best-known brands have battled between themselves to produce the finest, fastest and most capable cars ever created. From cars that represent the peak of the combustion engine to innovative new models that take technology to the next level, and everything in between, we consulted our expert panel to select the best of the best from a bumper period in the industry’s history.
Leading the charge – if you’ll excuse the EV pun – was our very own Motoring Editor, Rory FH Smith, who spends the best part of his life behind the wheel of the latest and greatest cars as a journalist, as the creative director of his agency Carrozzeria & Co, and as a car-buying consultant for Car & Co. Riding beside him was Gentleman’s Journal Editor-in-Chief Harry Jarman – who’s driven more than his fair share of classics over the years, covering off epic road trips like the North Coast 500 in the process – as well as a wider panel of editors and car writers.
Thankfully, the increasing levels of on-road rivalry make the modern-day car market even more fun, with options to suit almost every budget and preference. Here to iron out the subtle differences between the good and the great, our panel got to work on pinning down the finest, most innovative and sometimes most insane cars of recent times – before zeroing-in on our overall winner.
Winner: Polestar 3
Runner-up: Porsche 911 Dakar
Since Polestar first burst onto the scene in 2017, the Scandi-chic all-electric brand has gone from strength to strength. First came the Polestar 1, then the 2 and 2024 marked the arrival of the 3 SUV and Polestar 4 saloon. With clever packaging, innovative use of technology, stunning minimalist interior and impressive performance credentials, Polestar’s third model brings a fresh perspective to the SUV market. The £76,000, five-seat car has 390 miles of WLTP range, rivalling the likes of BMW’s iX, the Audi Q8e-Tron and the Mercedes EQE SUV. A thing of thoughtful beauty.
Read our full review here.
Winner: Callum C-X75
Runner-up: Toyota Land Cruiser
Looks familiar? So it should. The C-X75 was a canned Jaguar concept car that’s best-known for starring as the bad guy’s chase vehicle in the 2015 Bond film Spectre. Despite being axed by Jaguar before it even made it to production, a handful of cars were created for the film, with its stunning lines penned by Jaguar’s then design chief, Ian Callum. After Callum left the British marque, he went on to found his eponymous design-and-engineering consultancy, which brought the ill-fated supercar to life as a sensational, supercharged 5.0-litre V8 road-going masterstroke.
Winner: Aston Martin Vanquish
Runner-up: Ferrari 12Cilindri
Pipping the incredibly able, naturally aspirated V12 Ferrari 12Cilindri to the post is the brilliantly bonkers twin-turbo V12 Aston Martin Vanquish. In a world of sanitised supercars, the Vanquish is “a rogue” in the words of its designer, Marek Reichman. With a total of 824bhp, the Vanquish will crush the 0–62mph dash in 3.3 seconds and go on to a top speed of 214mph. Its rakish profile screams speed as much as it does sophistication, and it’s a similar story on the inside. Half grand tourer, half supercar, the Vanquish is the Aston we’ve all been waiting for.
Winner: Ineos Grenadier
Runner-up: Land Rover Defender OCTA
When Ineos boss Sir Jim Ratcliffe decided to pursue his dream of designing a rugged, do-it-all Land Rover Defender rival, few banked on its chances of making it to market. Since the first car hit the road in 2023, it’s gone on to prove its worth as a beast that can crawl across deserts, carve its way through snow and tackle everything in between. Beloved by search-and-rescue services as much as city dwellers with an appetite for adventure, the £80,000 Grenadier has proved to be a popular and, most importantly, proper off-roader.
Read our full review here.
Winner: Jaguar F-Type R75
Runner-up: Audi RS6 Avant
As the great British marque is in the throes of a dramatic ‘reset’, Jaguar’s back catalogue of V8 sportscars starts to look all the more appealing. Sitting at the top of that tree is the wonderful supercharged V8-engined F-Type R75, which was launched as the company’s final combustion car. The visceral, near £100,000 (when new) R75 could be specced in a fetching shade of Giola Green with tan interior: British-sportscar perfection. As Jaguar’s future looks increasingly indistinguishable from its impressive past, bag one of its finest petrol-powered cars while you can.
Winner: Alpine 290
Runner-up: Hyundai Ioniq 5 N
Following up on the brilliant A110 sportscar was never going to be easy for French carmaker Alpine. But when its sister brand, Renault, announced it was bringing the retro Renault 5 back from the dead, it provided the basis for Alpine to make a proper hot hatch, albeit an electric one. Presenting the retro-styled 290, the little French runabout is the hot-hatch version of its more pedestrian Renault cousin, producing 217bhp. When it comes to performance, the £38,000 290 GTS version can go 230 miles on a single charge.
Winner: Range Rover
Runner-up: Aston Martin DBX 707
When has a Range Rover not been the answer to most everyday motoring questions? Since 1970, this four-wheeled slice of sophistication has subtly caused a stir in both town and country. While the latest iteration is substantially larger than its great ancestor, it’s unrivalled when it comes to blending refinement with the ability to go anywhere. Starting at over £100,000, the Range Rover is available as a diesel, petrol or plug-in hybrid, ahead of the full-electric Range Rover arriving this year. An effortless drive over long distances and around town.
Winner: Maserati GranCabrio Folgore
Runner-up: Inverted Range Rover
Once a novelty, electric cars are now an accepted part of everyday life. Since they first started to gain popularity as a viable means of personal transport as early as 2010, we’ve seen plenty of electric city cars, SUVs, saloons and family-friendly options come to market. But now, it’s finally time for the rise of the electric convertible. Leading the charge is the gorgeous Maserati GranCabrio Folgore, which produces 751bhp from its battery – good enough to hit 62mph from standing, in 2.8 seconds. It’s blisteringly quick and stealthily silent, with stunning exterior styling.
Winner: Aston Martin Vanquish
Runner-up: Inverted Range Rover
It’s brutal, wildly quick and downright nuts. The Aston Martin Vanquish is a fitting tribute to the internal-combustion-engine era, with its 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12 engine representing the very pinnacle of petrol-powered cars. Completing Aston’s all-new line-up of equally impressive sportscars, the flagship £330,000 Vanquish sits at the top of the range as the marque’s new super grand tourer. Not for the feint hearted, the Vanquish is a driver’s car that can also cover-off long-distance drives in comfort and style.
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