The strangest thing about starting a Lamborghini Temerario is that, sometimes, nothing happens. You lift the little red fighter-jet cover, thumb the starter and wait for the sort of explosion that normally accompanies waking a Lamborghini.

Instead, there is a whirr. Perhaps a beep. Then silence.

The Temerario defaults to its Città driving mode and, battery permitting, moves away under electric power alone. So here you are, sitting in a low, wide, wedge-shaped Lamborghini with a hexagonal exhaust pipe large enough to accommodate household pets, gliding out of the carpark with all the menace of a golf buggy.

Do not worry. The noise comes later. And when it does, it arrives courtesy of one of the most remarkable combustion engines fitted to a modern road car: an all-new 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged V8 that spins to 10,000rpm.

The future, Lamborghini seems to be saying, can wait outside for a moment.

The Temerario replaces the Huracán, which means it has inherited one of the more difficult jobs in the car industry.

Its predecessor had a naturally aspirated V10. That alone was enough to make the Huracán interesting before you got to the dramatic styling, ridiculous performance or the fact that simply seeing one at a petrol station could brighten your Tuesday.

The Temerario has eight cylinders instead. It also has two turbochargers, a plug and three electric motors.

On paper, this sounds like the usual story of modern performance cars: fewer cylinders, more electronics and a press release full of assurances that everything is actually better now. Except Lamborghini appears to have taken the loss of its V10 rather personally.

So it built a flat-plane-crank V8 from scratch, gave it titanium connecting rods and allowed it to rev to 10,000rpm. The petrol engine alone produces 800hp, while the complete hybrid system delivers 920hp. Two electric motors drive the front wheels, while another sits between the engine and eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox. The result is four-wheel drive, 0 to 100km/h in 2.7 seconds and a top speed of 343km/h.

The clever bit is not simply that Lamborghini has thrown electric motors at the problem, but rather how they are used. Large turbochargers are useful when an engine is spinning at enormous speeds because they can shift a great deal of air. Unfortunately, large turbochargers also tend to take time to wake up.

The Temerario’s electric motors fill that gap. At low engine speeds, electrical assistance supplies the response that the turbos cannot. As the revs rise and boost builds, the V8 gradually takes over, so instead of a large lump of torque suddenly arriving halfway through a corner, the acceleration builds progressively.

Put your foot down and the car simply goes. Very quickly. Even with its relatively small battery depleted, the Temerario can still call upon close to 800hp from the combustion engine, while hard braking rapidly replenishes enough energy for the electrical assistance to rejoin proceedings.

In electric mode, the combustion engine stays asleep and the front motors pull the car along, effectively turning your 920CV Lamborghini into a front-wheel-drive EV producing roughly the power of a modest hatchback. Pure-electric range is only around 10km.

Some will inevitably ask what the point is, but imagine returning home late at night. Your neighbour does not need to hear a 10,000rpm V8 announce your arrival, since they almost certainly know what you drive.

There is also something wonderfully absurd about possessing a car capable of 343km/h and deliberately using 2 per cent of its personality to creep silently through a basement carpark.

The really unusual bit happens towards the far end of the rev counter. Turbocharged road-car engines generally do not rev to 10,000rpm. Motorcycles do, racing engines do, and household appliances do, presumably, shortly before their warranties become invalid.

Low down, the engine is not especially melodic. The flat-plane V8 can sound hard-edged and slightly industrial, particularly compared with the glorious V10 it replaces. The real magic arrives above roughly 6,500rpm, where the engine becomes increasingly fierce as it chases that five-figure redline.

That also creates a slight problem; by the time you have properly begun exploring the top half of the rev range, you will already be travelling at speeds that invite difficult conversations with the authorities.

There is simply no legal stretch of Singapore road long enough to properly exploit what the drivetrain can do. It is the motoring equivalent of buying a Steinway grand piano for a studio apartment. You can still enjoy owning it, just not at full volume.

Perhaps that is why one of the Temerario’s more impressive talents has nothing to do with speed.

The Temerario has up to 13 combinations of its driving and hybrid-energy settings, built around Città, Strada, Sport and Corsa modes. Yet you do not need a laminated instruction card to drive it to lunch.

Leave everything sensible and it is remarkably approachable. The eight-speed dual-clutch transmission will shuffle through the gears by itself. The suspension can be made compliant enough to tolerate imperfect roads, while a front-axle lift system is available for ramps and speed humps.

Sport mode actually allows the Temerario to feel more rear-driven and playful, while Corsa calls more heavily on the front electric motors to maximise traction and lap-time efficiency. There are even three levels of drift assistance. This is perhaps evidence that Lamborghini understands its customers very well.

Electrification does have a price, and the currency is weight. The Temerario is more than 250kg heavier than the Huracán it replaces. Unlike the Revuelto, it does not use a carbon-fibre tub, relying instead on an aluminium spaceframe.

Ordinarily, adding the equivalent of several adult passengers to a sports car would be considered poor form. Here, the electric motors help tons. The front pair are not simply there for straight-line traction. They can distribute torque to help the car turn, pulling the nose into a corner in ways that would require a complicated mechanical four-wheel-drive system otherwise.

The Temerario still has enormous capability, but it does not require enormous courage to access it. I liken its character more closely to a Porsche 911 Turbo than a GT3 RS: ferociously fast and very effective, without demanding that every journey become qualifying at Monza.

The Huracán could occasionally seem as though it wanted to test whether you deserved to be driving it. The Temerario seems more interested in helping.

Whether this represents progress or a worrying decline in standards of intimidation is up to you. At the very least, there should be no uncertainty over what you are looking at.

It remains low, wide and angular, although compared with some of Sant’Agata’s more recent creations, its basic shape is almost restrained.

The narrow headlights give the nose a permanent scowl, while hexagonal daytime running lamps sit lower down, each with an air intake through its centre. Air is directed through the body to feed the brakes, cool the engine and create downforce rather than merely decorating the car with holes.

The engine itself is left exposed beneath the rear deck and at the back sits the huge central hexagonal exhaust, surrounded by enough vents and aerodynamic furniture to make very clear that luggage capacity was not the first item on the design brief.

There is an Alleggerita package, too, which adds more carbon fibre, more aggressive aerodynamics and, with carbon wheels fitted, removes around 30kg. Lamborghini says the package substantially increases downforce and aero efficiency.

The interior contains another surprise. The wheelbase is longer than the Huracán’s, giving the Temerario noticeably more headroom and shoulder room, and simply climbing aboard is easier than before. There is even a 112-litre compartment in the nose, enough for a couple of modest bags.

The steering wheel falls naturally to hand, visibility is reasonable by mid-engined-supercar standards, and the new Comfort seats are apparently worthy of the name.

A central infotainment display handles multimedia and climate functions, while an optional passenger display means whoever is sitting beside you can see exactly how fast you are travelling and begin composing their complaint with accurate supporting evidence.

Thankfully, some theatre remains physical. The starter button still hides beneath its red cover, the vast gearshift paddles are fixed to the steering column and the cabin contains enough hexagons to make a honeybee feel at home.

The easy thing would have been to mourn the V10. Instead, Lamborghini appears to have approached hybridisation with the same attitude it applies to everything else: if something must be done, it should preferably be done to excess.

It is heavier, vastly more complicated and probably impossible to repair in 30 years without access to several computers and an electrical engineering degree.

But, it still has the important ingredient: drama.

The Huracán gave that to you immediately, with ten cylinders and very little subtlety. The Temerario makes you wait. You press the starter, and nothing happens.

You glide away silently, then you turn the red dial, the V8 wakes up and, somewhere beyond 6,500rpm, the future suddenly sounds rather good.

Technical Specifications

Lamborghini Temerario

Engine: 4-litre V8
Drivetrain: All-wheel drive
Power: 907 bhp
Torque: 730 Nm
Gearbox: 8-Speed (A) dual-clutch
0-100km/h: 2.7 seconds
Top Speed: 343 km/h
Fuel Economy: Just enjoy that V8 man.
Price: POA

Photo Credits: Sean Loo (@auto.driven)

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Ever wondered what it feels like to drive a Porsche the way its engineers intended, without having to worry about speed cameras, traffic lights or the occasional road hog? Come April 2027, Singaporeans will finally have somewhere to find out.

Porsche has officially opened bookings for its upcoming Porsche Experience Centre Singapore (PEC Singapore), with driving experiences starting from S$300.

The announcement was made during Porsche’s Raceborn Fest, held from 9 to 11 October 2026 at Guoco Midtown, as the German sports car manufacturer celebrates 75 years of motorsport heritage.

Located in Changi, PEC Singapore will become the 11th Porsche Experience Centre worldwide and the first specifically developed to serve Southeast Asia.

At its heart is a purpose-built driving circuit measuring more than two kilometres, featuring 18 corners designed to showcase the performance capabilities of Porsche’s sports cars. Under professional supervision, participants will be able to experience speeds of up to 200km/h and cornering forces reaching 1.4G.

Porsche will also offer programmes covering vehicle control, emergency manoeuvres and road safety, allowing participants to develop their driving skills in a controlled environment.

Introductory experiences start at S$300 for a Co-Pilot session, while a 30-minute guided driving experience costs from S$450. Bookings are now available through the official PEC Singapore website, with experiences commencing from April 2027.

While the circuit will undoubtedly attract enthusiasts, Porsche has designed the centre to appeal to a much wider audience. Visitors can expect dining establishments, simulator experiences, children’s play areas, changing heritage exhibitions and dedicated community spaces.

The facility is also intended to become an integrated Porsche ownership destination, bringing together vehicle sales, deliveries, aftersales services and Porsche Approved pre-owned vehicle operations. Interestingly, eligible new Porsche vehicles registered through Porsche Singapore from 1 January 2027 will include complimentary driving experiences at the centre, depending on the model and programme.

“The Porsche Experience Centre Singapore will bring car enthusiasts together, while offering experiences beyond the track for families and the wider public.”

Jean Ng, Assistant Chief Executive of the Experience Development Group at the Singapore Tourism Board.

The booking announcement coincides with Raceborn Fest, a free public event celebrating Porsche’s racing heritage. Among the highlights is a rare 1971 Porsche 917 KH, specially flown in from the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart.

The legendary racer is joined by the 911 GT3 R Rennsport, the classic Porsche 356 and the new Porsche 911 Challenge race car, making its Southeast Asian debut.

“Motorsport has been at the heart of Porsche for 75 years, and the Raceborn Fest allows us to share that passion with Singaporeans and international racing fans during one of the most exciting weeks on the motorsport calendar.”

Ragnar Schulte, CEO of Porsche Asia Pacific

Bookings are now open at www.pecsingapore.com, with experiences available from April 2027 onwards.

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The German sports car manufacturer has introduced a new generation of its Porsche Classic Communication Management Plus (PCCM Plus) system, bringing contemporary connectivity and navigation features to selected 911, Boxster and Cayman models produced between 2009 and 2016.

Better still, the system is designed to integrate seamlessly into the original dashboard, preserving the appearance of these increasingly desirable modern classics.

The latest PCCM Plus introduces a seven-inch high-resolution touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Owners can access smartphone navigation, music and communication functions without the inconvenience of outdated interfaces or aftermarket installations that look out of place.

More importantly, Porsche has ensured that the system retains compatibility with existing vehicle functions. Where equipped, the multifunction steering wheel can control the infotainment system, while navigation instructions and music information can continue to appear within the instrument cluster.

The system also introduces several useful enhancements, including satellite navigation imagery, over-the-air map updates and the ability to display oil temperature and pressure information.

For Boxster and Cayman owners, the previously audio-only parking assistance system can now display the distance to obstacles visually. There is even a Scenic Roads navigation function that prioritises winding, picturesque routes over conventional journeys.

Beyond smartphone connectivity, the new PCCM Plus supports Bluetooth audio streaming, 4G connectivity through a nano SIM card slot and integration with existing vehicle sound systems. Depending on local regulations, YouTube playback is also supported while the vehicle is stationary. Owners can even customise the virtual vehicle displayed on the screen to match their Porsche’s exterior colour.

Two versions of the system are available, covering the 997.2-generation 911 and 987.2-generation Boxster and Cayman, as well as the later 991.1-generation 911 and 981-generation Boxster and Cayman. Together, these models represent more than 300,000 potential vehicles worldwide.

The new PCCM Plus is available through Porsche Centres worldwide, with installation at an authorised Porsche Centre recommended to ensure proper integration with the vehicle’s existing systems.

Singapore owners can contact Porsche Service Centre Singapore for details regarding local pricing, compatibility and availability.

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The Aston Martin DB12 has never exactly been short of performance. But apparently, 680PS simply was not enough.

Now we have the new DB12 S, the latest model to receive Aston Martin’s performance-focused S treatment and now officially approved for sale in Singapore. It joins the Vantage S and DBX S locally, with prices starting from S$1,080,000 before COE and options.

Under that long bonnet remains Aston Martin’s 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8, now producing 700PS and 800Nm.

That is only 20PS more than the regular DB12, but outright power is merely part of the story. The century sprint drops from 3.6 to 3.5 seconds, while top speed stands at 325km/h. More significantly, Aston Martin has recalibrated the chassis and powertrain to give the S a keener edge, while carbon ceramic brakes are fitted as standard.

The visual changes follow the same philosophy. A new dual-element front splitter and bonnet louvres give the nose greater purpose, while gloss black sill extensions, a fixed rear spoiler and revised diffuser make the S noticeably more assertive.

Despite its newfound aggression, Aston Martin insists the DB12 S remains faithful to the Super Tourer philosophy. The cabin gains S-specific detailing, bespoke trim finishes and a choice of leather and Alcantara, while retaining the refinement expected of a car designed to cross continents rather than merely attack corners.

“With the approval of DB12 S for the Singapore market, we are pleased to bring the latest expression of Aston Martin’s S performance philosophy to our customers here. DB12 S combines the heightened performance and driver engagement expected of an S model with the refinement, craftsmanship and long-distance capability that define the DB12.”

Ian Grant, General Manager of Aston Martin Singapore.

The regular DB12 was already designed to sit somewhere between grand tourer and sports car. The S simply nudges that needle a little further towards the latter.

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Typically, when a company aspires to make a faster version of an already fast car, they give it more power, make the suspension harder, or throw in some carbon fibre bits. Stick a letter on the bootlid, preferably something from the sporty end of the alphabet, then ask customers for more money.

The Aston Martin Vantage S initially appears to follow this recipe.

There is an S badge. There is more power. There are new bonnet blades, a larger rear spoiler and various pieces of carbon fibre available if your idea of discretion involves making sure people in the next postal district know you bought the expensive one.

Yet the funny thing about the Vantage S is, none of that is what makes it special.

Under the bonnet is the same 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 as the regular Vantage, driving the rear wheels through an eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox mounted at the rear.

Here it produces 670bhp and 800Nm of torque. That is 15bhp more than the standard Vantage, while the torque figure remains unchanged. The century sprint is done and dusted in 3.4 seconds, and if you’re brave enough, you can hit 325km/h.

There is huge shove almost wherever you ask for it. Press the fun pedal and the long bonnet rises fractionally as the Vantage gathers itself before hurling the scenery towards you. The sensation is less about chasing a screaming redline and more about having an enormous reserve of force permanently waiting under your right foot.

All of this sounds fantastic… until you realise the standard Vantage was hardly underpowered to begin with. An extra 15bhp in a car already producing north of 650hp is a little like ordering an extra shot of espresso after your sixth coffee.

The S is only one tenth of a second quicker from rest to 100km/h, and its top speed is unchanged. So why bother?

Turns out, the engineers bothered quite a lot, and the answer pops into your brain the first time the road stops being straight.

The Bilstein adaptive dampers have been recalibrated and the suspension geometry has been revised. The rear subframe is now rigidly mounted to the aluminium body instead of being isolated by rubber bushes, while the transmission itself sits on slightly softer mounts to compensate.

The rear spring aid has been softened, too, in an effort to improve low-speed ride quality. There is even a new throttle calibration, with Aston Martin altering pedal weighting and response so the engine reacts more precisely to inputs.

This is the sort of engineering people tend not to discuss over a dinner date, and nobody has ever approached a stranger at a petrol station and said: “Nice car. Tell me about the rear spring aid stiffness.” But these are the changes that transform the S.

The regular Vantage is already an enormously fast machine, but there is so much engine squeezed into such a relatively compact chassis that the car can occasionally feel like it is trying to negotiate with its own horsepower.

The S feels as though the negotiations have concluded. The steering is clearer and more communicative, and the car settles itself better over difficult surfaces. There is still proper weight to the controls, but there is a greater sense that the front tyres are telling you what they are doing.

You can lean on it harder without constantly wondering whether 800Nm is about to arrive with a strongly worded complaint, and that does wonders for confidence.

Aston Martin has also resisted the temptation to turn the S into some sort of road-going punishment device. It would have been easy to make everything harder, lower and less forgiving in the name of performance. Instead, the suspension changes actually improve the Vantage’s low-speed behaviour while sharpening it when the pace rises.

You might argue with this logic, but most sports cars spend a distressingly large proportion of their lives doing 50km/h.

Another reason why the Vantage S feels unusual is that it is quintessentially remarkably simple.

Not mechanically, obviously. Any modern car capable of travelling at 325km/h while keeping its occupants alive is a complicated object, but the basic recipe is there.

A big V8 at the front, two driven wheels at the back, no hybrid nonsense and no all-wheel-drive system shuffling power around. Just an internal-combustion engine, a gearbox, rear tyres with a stressful job description, and just enough electronics to keep the expensive bits pointing the right way.

There is character in having to work with the car rather than merely instruct it. The Vantage S is enormously capable, but it does not make its driver entirely redundant.

There is theatre whenever you drive it too. The vibration, the rising note from the exhaust. The sensation of the gearbox punching through another ratio. The tiny corrections at the steering wheel as the rear tyres attempt to convert torque into forward motion.

You can feel it working, and that is a trait the engineers preserved succinctly in the Vantage S.

Best of all, you have a lavish front row seat to enjoy all of it.

The current generation Vantage interior feels properly bespoke, and you are cocooned in a brilliant mix of leather, alcantara, and metals.

A 10.25-inch digital instrument display sits ahead of the driver, accompanied by a 10.25-inch central touchscreen running Aston Martin’s own infotainment system.

Wireless phone charging is standard, and Apple CarPlay Ultra is available if you decide to spot cops on Waze.

Hellalujah, there are still actual buttons for the bits you love. Want to wake the neighbours after a cold start? The button for the exhaust is right there. Much better than granny fingering your way through a maze of digital menus.

Your neighbour won’t mind anyway once they catch a glimpse of the Vantage S. It looks menacing, gaining centrally mounted bonnet blades, a new front splitter, revised side details and a full-width rear decklid spoiler.

Some of the aerodynamic pieces can be specified in carbon fibre, because evidently nobody has yet discovered the upper limit for carbon fibre on expensive cars. Plus, the changes provide genuine aerodynamic benefit rather than existing purely for Instagram.

The visible additions can generate around 40kg of downforce at maximum speed, with changes beneath the car like splitters contributing considerably more.

Still, they look good, and that is enough.

Aston Martin has not fundamentally changed what the Vantage is. Rather, it has concentrated on making the existing ingredients cooperate better. In doing so, they have not only made it a faster car, but a more enjoyable one too.

Progress does not require reinventing anything. Sometimes, it just requires finishing the job better.

Technical Specifications

Aston Martin Vantage S

Engine: 4-Litre Twin-Turbocharged V8
Drivetrain: Rear-Wheel Drive
Power: 670 bhp
Torque: 800 Nm
Gearbox: 8-speed (A)
0-100km/h: 3.4 seconds (claimed)
Top Speed: 325 km/h
Fuel Economy: Why bother when you’re having fun?
Price: POA

Photo Credits: Sean Loo (@auto.driven)

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Take something already rather fast, sharpen it, make it lighter where possible and give the driver a little more reason to take the long way home.

The latest recipient is the Aston Martin DBX S, which has now arrived in Singapore as the new flagship of the British marque’s SUV range.

It builds upon the already formidable DBX707 with 727PS and 900Nm of torque, while introducing chassis, aerodynamic and weight-saving changes intended to make this large luxury SUV behave rather less like one. No electric motor. No hybrid battery. Just a twin-turbocharged V8.

Output rises to 727PS, while maximum torque remains a substantial 900Nm. The result is a claimed 0-100km/h time of 3.3 seconds and a 310km/h top speed. Those are absurd numbers for something with five doors, a generous boot and enough cabin space to perform school-run duties.

But absurdity has always been part of the appeal of the high-performance SUV. The sensible family car and the sports car used to occupy opposite ends of the showroom. Machines such as the DBX S suggest there is no particular reason they cannot share a parking space.

Aston Martin has achieved the additional performance without adding an electric motor or battery pack. Instead, the DBX S remains powered solely by its V8, with turbocharger technology derived from the forthcoming Valhalla supercar helping improve response and performance towards the upper end of the rev range.

Simply adding power would have been the easy part. Aston Martin says the DBX S follows the philosophy traditionally associated with its S models, meaning changes are intended to improve the entire driving experience rather than merely produce a larger number on the specification sheet.

The chassis has consequently been retuned, with revised suspension calibration aimed at improving responsiveness while retaining the comfort and everyday usability expected of the DBX. Its nine-speed multi-plate wet-clutch transmission and all-wheel-drive system have also been specially tuned to complement the uprated V8.

Which explains the next part.

Customers can specify a series of lightweight components that reduce the DBX S’s mass by as much as 47kg compared with the DBX707.

Optional 23-inch magnesium wheels reduce both unsprung and rotational mass. There is also a new carbon-fibre roof, which lowers the centre of gravity, helping a tall SUV resist the natural tendency to lean through corners.

The visual changes leave little ambiguity about where the DBX S sits within the family.

There is a dramatic new front grille, a redesigned rear treatment and quad stacked exhaust outlets, along with optional carbon-fibre exterior components.

Inside, the DBX S receives its own performance-oriented detailing, with Alcantara and leather finishes available alongside the craftsmanship expected of the marque.

The intention is to preserve the luxurious character of the regular DBX while adding enough sporting detail to remind its occupants that this is the serious one.

For those wanting a closer look, one DBX S is currently available in Singapore for viewing and test drives, finished in Onyx Black with a Phantom Grey interior. Factory orders are also being accepted, with deliveries estimated to begin from the first quarter of 2027.

Prices start from S$980,000 before COE and options.

That is an enormous amount of money for an SUV. But approaching the DBX S purely as an SUV misses the point. This is Aston Martin attempting to squeeze sports-car character into a taller, more practical shape without abandoning the noise, response and theatre of a large combustion engine.

Sometimes the old recipes endure for a reason.

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The Chevrolet Corvette Stingray is unique, although perhaps not for the reasons you might expect. Yes, it has a 6.2-litre V8. Yes, the engine sits behind your head. And yes, from certain angles people will look at it and go “wow what a cool Ferrari!”

But, the really surprising thing about the eighth-generation Corvette is how little effort it demands from its driver.

Corvettes have traditionally been big-engined, front-engined things with enough torque to interfere with continental drift. Yet the C8 Stingray is refined, composed and startlingly easy to drive. Growing up, apparently, comes for everyone.

The Corvette has been around since 1953, but Chevrolet spent decades flirting with the idea of putting the engine behind the occupants before finally doing it with the C8 in 2020.

That decision fundamentally altered the car. Instead of having a large V8 somewhere near the front bumper, the C8 carries its 6.2-litre naturally aspirated LT2 V8 just behind the cabin, driving the rear wheels through an eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox. There is no manual gearbox, which will give traditionalists something to grumble about between discussions of carburettors and how music was better in 1974.

In current specification, the engine produces 495 horsepower and 630Nm of torque. The century sprint is dusted in only 2.9 seconds, which gives onlookers just enough time to catch the digits on your license plate.

An old-fashioned Corvette could sometimes make its driver feel as though he had accidentally joined a rodeo. The C8 is different.

Putting the engine in the middle gives it a 40:60 front-to-rear weight distribution, and the result is a car that feels far more balanced and predictable than its predecessors. Its steering is accurate, its responses are clean, and both ends of the car seem to agree on where they are going, while still retaining enough personality to punish clumsy mid-corner decisions.

With the available Magnetic Selective Ride Control that comes with the Z51 Performance Package, the Stingray can soften itself considerably for ordinary roads. Which is useful, because most journeys do not involve clipping apexes. They involve traffic lights.

For all the C8’s newfound sophistication, Chevrolet did at least remember to install the important bit.

The LT2 is a naturally aspirated 6.2-litre V8, which feels almost rebellious in an age when manufacturers are busy removing cylinders, adding turbochargers and attaching electric motors to everything that stays still long enough. It does not have the manic top-end theatrics of the old Corvette Z06’s smaller flat-plane-crank V8, but the Stingray’s engine is about effortless shove.

There is plenty of torque, plenty of speed and, crucially, no waiting around for turbos to decide whether they feel like participating. Put your foot down, and the Corvette simply gets on with scaring your passenger.

The eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox deserves some credit here, too. It shifts rapidly and is clever enough that you can largely leave it alone, although paddles are there for occasions when you would like to feel more involved.

The only oddity is that the Corvette can actually be quieter than expected from inside. A mid-engined American sports car with a 6.2-litre V8 sounds like something that should frighten wildlife several postcodes away. Instead, the C8 is surprisingly civilised at cruising speeds, with wind and tyre noise from inside the cabin sometimes more noticeable than the engine itself.

Speaking of inside, Chevrolet has been taking notes from the Europeans. Older Corvettes could occasionally feel as though all the development money had been spent by the time Chevrolet reached the interior. The C8 is considerably more convincing.

Materials are better, the digital displays look contemporary, and the driving position makes you feel properly embedded in the car rather than merely seated inside it. The optional front-axle lift system is fantastic – the fastest I’ve tested in any supercar – with location memory and a forward-facing camera to help preserve expensive bodywork from kerbs.

Then there is the famous wall of buttons. a long strip containing the climate controls runs along the centre console between driver and passenger. It looks dramatic and puts a great many physical switches within reach, which is commendable in an era when manufacturers seem determined to make adjusting the air-conditioning resemble filing an online tax return.

The downside is that it divides the cabin rather too effectively. The driver feels cocooned. The passenger feels as though immigration formalities may be required before crossing to the other side.

Still, the cabin now feels expensive enough to belong in a car with genuine supercar performance, and you can now actually put things in it.

Because the engine sits in the middle, there is storage at both ends of the car. Combined cargo capacity is around 357 litres, which means the Corvette can accommodate considerably more luggage than its silhouette suggests.

The coupe also has a removable roof panel. Remove it, and you have something approaching a T-top sports car without having to buy the convertible. The catch is that the panel has to live somewhere, and storing it consumes much of the rear luggage area.

Still, the very fact that we are discussing luggage capacity in a mid-engined V8 sports car tells you how practical the Corvette can be.

Of course, the Corvette has always made most sense in America, where its combination of performance and price has traditionally made Europeans look faintly unreasonable.

Things become rather less straightforward once taxes and import costs enter the conversation, but the basic achievement remains impressive. Chevrolet has built a car that no longer needs the usual Corvette qualifications.

You do not have to say it is good for an American car. You do not have to make excuses for the way it handles because it is inexpensive compared with a European exotic. The C8 can finally be judged simply as a sports car, and it is a brilliant one.

That, however, does create a small philosophical problem. In civilising the Corvette, Chevrolet has removed some of the rough edges that gave earlier versions their peculiar charm.

The C8 is more accurate, more refined, more comfortable and vastly easier to exploit than the cars that came before it. Objectively, it is a much better car, although some of the old Corvette’s unruliness has inevitably disappeared in the process. Whether you consider that progress depends on why you liked Corvettes in the first place.

But make no mistake. If you wanted a V8-powered caricature of America, built to rival Europe’s best sports cars without charging European-supercar money, this is it.

Technical Specifications

Chevrolet Corvette Stingray (C8)

Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Drivetrain: Rear-wheel drive
Power: 495 bhp
Torque: 630 Nm
Gearbox: 8-Speed (A) Dual Clutch
0-100km/h: 2.9 seconds
Top Speed: 312 km/h
Fuel Economy: Do you even care about this part?
Price: POA

Photo Credits: Sean Loo (@auto.driven)

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It’s weird to call any Ferrari an entry-level model. Entry-level suggests sensible shoes, base-spec infotainment and perhaps a monthly instalment plan you can discuss without first contacting your private banker. The Ferrari Amalfi, meanwhile, comes with 631bhp, a twin-turbocharged V8 and a price that starts well north of what most people would spend on a house deposit.

Still, within Maranello’s increasingly exotic hierarchy, this is the gateway. The Amalfi replaces the Roma, Ferrari’s elegant front-engined V8 coupe that attempted to blend grand touring polish with supercar speed.

Think of the new car less as a revolution and more as a thorough rethink. The basic structure and engine remain familiar, but every exterior panel is new, the cabin has been substantially reworked, the brakes now rely on brake-by-wire technology, and the electronics have been recalibrated to broaden the car’s personality.

In other words, Ferrari has taken the Roma, listened to the complaints, and gone back through the homework with a red pen.

A different sort of Ferrari face

The Amalfi’s proportions remain deliciously traditional. There is a long bonnet ahead of you, a tightly drawn cabin, muscular rear haunches and a short tail. In silhouette, it is exactly the sort of front-engined grand tourer Ferrari has spent decades perfecting.

The details, however, are more controversial. The new visor-like front end has already drawn comparisons with everything from the Honda Prelude to the Toyota Prius, while others have apparently seen aquatic mammals in its expression.

Ferrari says it is moving away from giving its cars recognisable “faces”, instead hiding lighting elements and sensors within the bodywork to create cleaner graphic surfaces. That approach certainly makes the Amalfi look modern, although whether it looks prettier than the Roma is another matter entirely.

Pick the right colour, however, and the shape begins to work considerably better. It is one of those cars that probably needs to be seen in the metal before judgement is passed. Preferably somewhere along the Amalfi Coast, obviously.

Press the button. A proper one.

The first improvement appears before you even leave the carpark; Ferrari has brought back a physical starter button.

That may sound like a remarkably trivial thing to celebrate in a machine with more than 600 horsepower, but anyone who has spent time with Ferrari’s recent touch-sensitive steering wheel controls will understand. The Amalfi wakes up beneath your thumb with a proper crimson button rather than an anonymous capacitive pad. Already, civilisation is healing.

The 3.9-litre twin-turbocharged V8 settles into a noticeably more sophisticated idle than the Roma did. Its predecessor could occasionally drone at lower engine speeds, producing the sort of constant bass note that made you wonder whether someone had accidentally installed an aftermarket exhaust from a neighbourhood Civic.

Equal-length exhaust tracts and revised tuning have cleaned up the soundtrack considerably, making the Amalfi more pleasant during ordinary driving without completely silencing its personality.

Surprisingly civilised

In Comfort mode, the Amalfi is extraordinarily compliant. Ferrari’s so-called Bumpy Road suspension setting is engaged by default, and the car handles urban imperfections with a suppleness you would not necessarily associate with something carrying a Prancing Horse badge.

Speed humps are absorbed cleanly. Broken surfaces rarely send unpleasant shocks through the cabin. Around town, the Amalfi can feel almost absurdly easygoing. You could commute in this, take it to dinner, sit in traffic and embark on longer road trips without eventually requiring physiotherapy.

Yet press the manettino into something more aggressive and the car begins peeling away those layers of politeness.

The other side of the Amalfi

Ferrari has deliberately widened the spread between the car’s personalities. Wet and Comfort modes are more forgiving than before, with stronger stability intervention and gentler power delivery designed to reassure drivers unfamiliar with the concept of 631bhp being sent solely to the rear wheels.

Sport and Race modes, however, release considerably more of the car’s mischievous side. Throttle response sharpens, the exhaust becomes louder, and Ferrari’s latest Side Slip Control system loosens its tie slightly, allowing the rear axle greater freedom without simply abandoning you to your own questionable judgement.

There is an active rear spoiler too, capable of producing up to 110kg of downforce at approximately 250km/h. Useful if you commute particularly quickly.

What makes the Amalfi interesting is what Ferrari has deliberately left out.

There is no rear-wheel steering.
No electric motor providing instant torque fill.
No hugely complicated active suspension system attempting to defy physics.

Ferrari’s engineers describe the Amalfi as something of a “back to basics” machine. A V8 up front, drivetrain at the rear, and a chassis designed to be inherently approachable rather than endlessly corrected by increasingly elaborate hardware.

Back to basics is relative in Maranello, of course. This is still a car with more computing power than some small governments. But dynamically, it works.

Fast without feeling frightening

The Amalfi feels wonderfully natural when you start leaning on it. The steering remains hyper-alert, requiring small inputs and a degree of trust in the front tyres. Ferrari steering has long felt more like thought control than traditional rack-and-pinion communication, and that remains true here.

Yet the chassis does not constantly dare you to go faster. There is a friendliness to its balance that makes the car easier to understand than some of Ferrari’s more extreme machinery.

A damp patch and an enthusiastic right foot can still persuade the rear tyres to reconsider their contractual obligations. But the Amalfi never feels as though it is waiting for an opportunity to embarrass you.

The irony is that this supposedly lesser Ferrari can actually feel more satisfying on a real road than some of the company’s more powerful cars. You can explore more of what it offers without requiring a runway.

The gearbox deserves its own applause

Ferrari’s eight-speed dual-clutch transmission remains magnificent. Around town, it behaves with impeccable manners, slipping between ratios almost invisibly.

And when you reach for the paddles? Everything changes.

Shifts arrive almost instantaneously, accompanied by perfectly judged throttle blips on the way down. You can use the paddles almost like percussion instruments, playing the engine note through successive ratios.

Leaving the car in automatic mode works perfectly well. But why would you?

Not everything is perfect

Turbocharging inevitably leaves its mark. Compared with the very latest electrified performance systems, there is a slight softness between throttle input and the engine delivering everything it has.

It is not severe turbo lag, but the response is not quite instantaneous either. And near the top of the rev range, the V8 leaves you wanting more. The engine begins to develop a harder, more exotic edge as the revs climb, briefly recalling some of Ferrari’s naturally aspirated greats.

Then the limiter arrives. Abruptly.

It genuinely feels as though the engine could spin harder, sing louder and continue building towards something even more dramatic.

Perhaps Ferrari has deliberately left room above the Amalfi for faster future variants. An Amalfi Competizione, perhaps?

Then there are the brakes. Pressing the pedal no longer directly actuates the hydraulic system in the traditional manner. Instead, brake-by-wire sensors interpret your input and algorithms decide how much braking force should be applied.

Ferrari’s reasoning is sound, though. The system provides greater consistency under repeated heavy braking, better manages the carbon-ceramic discs and allows the pedal response to remain stable even after sustained punishment on track. It also integrates more cleanly with modern driver assistance systems.

At the very least, the pedal feels progressive and predictable enough that you quickly stop thinking about what lies between your foot and the discs… which is probably the greatest compliment you can give brake-by-wire.

Ferrari admits buttons are good

Inside, the Amalfi contains perhaps the clearest evidence yet that Ferrari knew the Roma’s interface had gone too far: physical buttons are back on the steering wheel.

Actual buttons. On a Ferrari. Imagine that.

The capacitive controls that plagued recent models have largely been replaced with tactile switches that can be operated without staring at them.

The centre of the cabin has been thoroughly redesigned too. The Roma’s awkward vertically mounted touchscreen has disappeared, replaced by a sharper and much more responsive 10.25-inch unit integrated into a more open dashboard.

The old twin-cockpit concept has been toned down, although the passenger still receives a dedicated display ahead.

Overall, the cabin feels less claustrophobic and considerably more sophisticated. However, the central screen sits rather low, which means adjusting certain functions requires taking your eyes noticeably away from the road.

Ferrari argues that it does not want its interiors dominated by enormous displays, but when climate controls, heated seats and nose-lift functions also live within said screen, positioning it somewhere nearer your line of sight would be useful.

A handful of capacitive controls also remain for functions such as the mirrors and lighting. They are a bit fiddly, and given how spectacular the Amalfi’s milled alloy wheels look, the last thing you want is to discover this while parallel parking beside a granite kerb.

Entry-level? Not in here

The Amalfi may technically sit near the bottom of Ferrari’s range, but nothing inside feels remotely entry-level.

Leather is beautifully finished. Carbon fibre pieces have the glossy depth of jewellery. Metal surfaces feel substantial. And running through the centre console is a beautifully machined aluminium spine that houses the key almost like a display piece.

Ferrari does not always receive the same praise as Bentley or Rolls-Royce for its interiors because performance tends to dominate the conversation. This deserves more recognition.

Rear accommodation? Well.

Ferrari does not even call this a traditional 2+2. Instead, it describes the Amalfi as a “2+”. That missing second “2” tells you almost everything. The rear seats are small, upright and best treated as beautifully upholstered luggage shelves.

The boot provides 273 litres of space, while folding the rear seatbacks gives you additional flexibility for longer items. For a Ferrari GT, that is perfectly usable.

Peace and Serenity

Modern performance cars have become incredibly complicated, often layering hybrid systems, active chassis hardware and endless electronic settings on top of already enormous outputs.

The Amalfi takes a slightly different route. And somehow, in becoming simpler, it feels more complete.

The design may not possess the effortless prettiness of the Roma, and there are still ergonomic frustrations lurking inside the cabin. But the improvements elsewhere are considerable.

Most importantly, you can exploit more of its character more often. And perhaps that is what makes the Amalfi such a compelling Ferrari.

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There are certain badges in the automotive world that carry considerably more weight than their lettering suggests. For Lamborghini, two of the most important are simply SV.

Short for Super Veloce, or “Super Fast”, the designation has traditionally been reserved for some of Sant’Agata Bolognese’s most focused V12 machines. It first appeared on the Miura SV in 1971, before returning on the Diablo SV, Murciélago LP 670-4 Super Veloce and Aventador SV.

Now, there is a fifth. Lamborghini has unveiled the Revuelto SV during Monterey Car Week, introducing what the company describes as the most powerful and fastest-accelerating production Lamborghini it has ever built.

Limited to 1,963 units, the new model takes the existing Revuelto and turns virtually everything up another notch.

More Than Just An Extra Badge

The SV treatment has traditionally been about extracting more performance from Lamborghini’s flagship V12 without fundamentally changing what makes the car special.

The Revuelto SV retains the naturally aspirated V12 and three-electric-motor hybrid arrangement of the standard car, but combined output has climbed to 1,065 CV, or 1,050hp. That represents an increase of 50 CV over the regular Revuelto.

Zero to 100km/h takes just 2.4 seconds, while top speed exceeds 345km/h. Lamborghini has also optimised the aerodynamics to generate greater downforce, alongside changes intended to sharpen handling and improve lap-time performance.

“The Super Veloce lineage is one of the most iconic in Lamborghini’s history, reserved for some of our most extreme V12 models. With the Revuelto SV, we continue that tradition by taking our V12 flagship to higher expression of performance and driving emotion. Sharing this milestone at The Quail, together with our top customers and enthusiasts in our largest global market, is the perfect way to celebrate the next chapter of the SV legacy.”

Stephan Winkelmann, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Automobili Lamborghini.

Five Generations Of Super Veloce

The lineage began with the Miura SV in 1971, arguably one of the definitive versions of the car that helped establish the modern supercar template.

Then came the Diablo SV in 1995, bringing the badge into a very different era of Lamborghini. It was followed by the Murciélago LP 670-4 Super Veloce in 2009, before the Aventador SV arrived in 2015.

Each interpreted the same basic idea differently, but the objective remained broadly consistent: take Lamborghini’s flagship V12 and make it faster, sharper and more focused. The Revuelto SV now has another task. It must carry that philosophy into the hybrid era.

Hybridisation Has Not Tamed The Bull

That point was reinforced by the other cars sharing the stage at Monterey.

Alongside the Revuelto SV, Lamborghini presented the Temerario Tricolore and Urus SE Performante, effectively showcasing the more extreme ends of its now fully hybridised model range.

The Temerario Tricolore focuses on Italian identity and Ad Personam craftsmanship, while the Urus SE Performante pushes the performance SUV formula considerably further.

Lamborghini claims the latter will accelerate from zero to 100km/h in 3.3 seconds and reach 312km/h.

Celebrating The V12 Past

Appropriately, Lamborghini surrounded its newest V12 flagship with plenty of reminders of where the company came from.

A dedicated Diablo class at The Quail brought together 30 examples built between 1994 and 2001, including several Diablo SVs. The display effectively placed one generation of Super Veloce beside another, demonstrating how much the engineering has changed while the philosophy behind the badge has remained remarkably familiar.

The celebrations continued at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, where Lamborghini marked the 60th anniversary of the Miura with more than 40 examples gathered on the third fairway – the largest collection of Miuras assembled in one place, according to the company.

Also joining them was the newly unveiled Revuelto Miura 60° Homage, a special edition limited to 99 examples.

The SV Badge Enters A New Era

Every generation of Lamborghini’s modern V12 flagship has eventually produced something more extreme, and the Revuelto was unlikely to escape that tradition. What makes this one different is the technology being used to achieve it.

From Miura to Diablo, Murciélago and Aventador, the SV badge has always represented Lamborghini with some of the restraint removed. The Revuelto SV simply applies that old philosophy using a very modern collection of tools.

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McLaren has spent much of the modern era chasing speed through technology. Carbon-fibre structures, active aerodynamics, hybrid assistance and increasingly sophisticated electronics have all helped its supercars become devastatingly capable.

However, its latest creation takes a rather different approach.

Unveiled at the 2026 Monterey Car Week, the McLaren McL 6GT is a contemporary interpretation of the M6GT, the car Bruce McLaren envisioned as the foundation for the company’s road-car ambitions more than half a century ago.

More importantly for driving enthusiasts, it also marks the return of an authentic manual gearbox to a McLaren for the first time since the F1 arrived in 1992.

Going Back To Where It All Began

The story behind the McL 6GT stretches back to Bruce McLaren himself.

The original M6GT grew out of the M6A Can-Am racing car and represented McLaren’s ambition to create a road-going supercar. That dream was ultimately never fully realised during Bruce McLaren’s lifetime, but its influence has remained an important part of the company’s history.

The new McL 6GT effectively asks a simple question: what might that car look like if the idea had been allowed to evolve for another six decades?

Rather than creating a straightforward replica, McLaren has taken the philosophy behind the original and interpreted it through contemporary engineering. The result combines a carbon-fibre monocoque and bodywork with V8 internal combustion power, rear-wheel drive and that all-important manual transmission.

“The McLaren McL 6GT imagines what our inspirational founder had wished to complete but with six additional decades of innovation and passion woven through every element, creating a modern icon of driver connection. It is symbolic of the bold, provocative and hugely exciting future that we are preparing to realise.”

Nick Collins, Chief Executive Officer of McLaren Automotive

McLaren says a production version will arrive in 2028, establishing a new, highly exclusive type of supercar positioned beyond its existing core portfolio.

Three Pedals. In A McLaren. Finally.

The McL 6GT has deliberately been engineered around interaction rather than outright convenience. Every gear change, steering input and movement of the accelerator is intended to feel physical and deliberate.

Hydraulic steering replaces another layer of electronic mediation, while tactile switchgear and exposed engineering details continue the analogue theme inside the cabin.

Even the gearlever has received particular attention. McLaren says its shape, throw and operation have been developed specifically around feel, while a three-dimensional Speedy Kiwi (one of McLaren’s earliest emblems) is incorporated into the upright.

That philosophy extends to the exterior. Rather than simply dipping into the heritage cupboard and scattering retro details everywhere, McLaren has retained the fundamental proportions of the original M6GT while translating them into a modern supercar.

The McL 6GT consequently sits extremely low and wide, with a low nose recalling the M6A Can-Am racer from which the original M6GT was derived. Its bodywork flows largely uninterrupted towards a distinctive Kammback rear, while the cabin appears embedded into the body rather than perched on top of it.

It is clean and unusually restrained by modern supercar standards. There are no enormous wings shouting about downforce or seemingly endless collections of aerodynamic furniture fighting for attention.

Instead, the design relies heavily on proportion and surfacing. Look closer and the historical references begin appearing.

The original M6GT’s taillights have inspired a new “Racing Loop” motif incorporated into the airflow architecture, while Bruce McLaren’s original M6GT number plate has been reinterpreted as a subtle graphic.

His signature appears in the engine bay, while the Speedy Kiwi is etched discreetly into the fuel filler cap.

Analogue, But Not Old-Fashioned

Perhaps The Future Of Supercars Is More Mechanical

The irony, of course, is that one of McLaren’s most forward-looking new projects is built around technology the automotive industry has spent decades trying to replace. But perhaps that is precisely why the McL 6GT feels refreshing.

The original M6GT represented Bruce McLaren’s vision of what a road-going McLaren could become. More than six decades later, its spiritual successor suggests that McLaren’s next chapter may not simply be about making its cars faster.

It may also be about making them feel alive again.

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