You’re searching for that one luxury vehicle that ignites the gasoline in your veins (or if you prefer, the high-voltage battery). The one that you want to take out of your garage and drive on warm summer days, zipping around the twists and turns of Pebble Beach. The one that purrs on the back roads of Bordeaux or blasts down the autobahn. The one that is truly “hot” and the envy of your friends.
If you were to corner Robert Ross, chief automotive editorial consultant for Robb Report magazine, and ask him, “What are this year’s hottest cars?” these fine motoring machines would be his answer. (You may notice that the cars from Stuttgart dominate his selections. To which he unapologetically replies, “It’s just that Porsche does many things very, very well.”)
Hottest Sports Car
Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4
He says: “This is Lamborghini’s most significant new model since the 2003 Gallardo. A more than worthy successor, the Huracán breaks new ground with improvements across the board: drivetrain, chassis, aerodynamics and aesthetics. It is (not literally) a well-rounded package that combines the best attributes of a road-friendly, daily-driver with those of a sharp-edged sports car. The Huracán is as competent as any F-car with the distinct personality of a car that could only come from Sant’Agata.”
Hottest Coupe
Porsche 911 Carrera GTS
He says:“ ‘Coupe’ may be damning with faint praise, as the venerable 911 is really the quintessential sports car. But for purposes of classification, the coupe version of Porsche’s most successful Carrera is also its best, especially now that they’ve raised the ante with the GTS variant. Ladling on options is what ordering a new 911 is all about, and the GTS delivers everything a 911 fan wants, with nothing superfluous. More power, center-lock wheels, a great interior…it’s all there. Unless you need four real seats and a trunk, this is the car to drive.”
Sedan
Bentley Continental Mulsanne Speed
He says: “It’s big and expensive and totally anachronistic in an age when sport sedans from Germany deliver more for a fraction of the price. But what no RS or M-Car or AMG can deliver is the biggest Bentley’s presence. With the Mulsanne Speed, Bentley defines luxury that is truly bespoke, combining impeccable craftsmanship and over-the-top attention to detail with blistering roll-on acceleration and surprisingly nimble handling dynamics. And the Bentley is relatively understated, in a way no car with a Winged Victory mascot can ever be.”
SUV
Porsche Macan Turbo
He says: “I’m not a particular fan of the SUV. As a genre, there’s little to recommend unless genuine off-road antics dictate the need. The near-extinct station wagon is a more sensible and refined solution to hauling cases of Cabernet and rare hothouse orchids. Meanwhile, most SUVs are an aesthetic blight on the landscape: tall, ungainly platforms that dominate the view of other drivers. The Macan is anything but. Taut, beautifully wrought and fast as hell, this SUV offers decent hauling capacity and a near-sports car experience in a package that is as sensible as it is sumptuous.”
Supercar
Porsche 918 Spyder
He says: “Although it’s sold out and technically yesterday’s news, the 918 still represents the state-of-the-art supercar. From any angle—engineering, speed or even sheer beauty—the 918 set the trajectory, and there’s no turning back. Every top manufacturer has hopped on the twin-motor bandwagon, and as hybrid technology demonstrates its efficacy in competition, no doubt these are interesting times. For the present, Porsche’s halo car proves the concept while reminding us that ‘performance’ is still the name of the game.”
Hybrid
BMW i8
He says: “The i8 is BMW’s argument that a hybrid automobile doesn’t have to look like an orthopedic shoe or a refrigerator on wheels. Apart from being a beautiful, fresh-slate design, the i8 is a capable performance car, and the combination of a dinky inline-3 with an electric motor somehow delivers far more than the sum of its relatively modest propulsive parts. While swoopy gullwing doors may present a tedious proposition for everyday driving, the BMW hybrid is ultimately a brilliant statement: aesthetically, technically and dynamically.”
Electric
Scalextric 1:32 scale Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Fangio Slot Car
He says: “It’s more fun than any electric car 32 times its size.”
Motorcycle
Ecosse Motorworks Founder’s Edition
He says: “Despite the shopworn analogy, the bikes from Ecosse really are the Swiss watches of the motorcycle world. Their level of engineering, parts quality, machine work and craftsmanship is stellar. Plus, nothing beats a V-twin engine for capturing the essential motorcycle experience, and a Harley-Davidson-derived motor is as authentic as it gets. I’ve owned lots of Ducatis and other Italian Vs, but from my fist XLCR, Harley café racers have always held a special place. Maybe not the fastest or the most advanced, but for me, the most satisfying.”
Vintage
Lamborghini 400 GT
He says: “By the age of 12 or thereabouts, most car-minded youth have been indelibly imprinted with their notion of the perfect automobile. It’s era-dependent, which is why my generation gravitates to 1960s-era sport scars and American muscle cars. Ferraris, Jaguars, Porsches, Corvettes and Shelbys…the old ones are all as beautiful and exciting today as they were twirling on stands at auto shows when new. The very first Lamborghinis always did it for me, and finally the collector world agrees. Long considered a four-eyed oddball, Lamborghini’s touring-bodied GTs have—50 years later—earned the respect they deserve.”
Robert Ross is the Robb Report’s automotive consultant. He can be reached at robertr@robbreport.com.
