You may not think you’re the type to spend idle moments daydreaming about which contemporary cars you might have in your ultimate collection and that’s fine. But we’ve done exactly that. Here are eleven of our favourites that would be vying for garage space.
Ferrari 812 Superfast
You expect your Ferrari to be fast, of course, but also exotic and surprising with a touch of the dangerous — even the ridiculous. This, the most powerful Ferrari of all time, manages to be all of these things and more, its front-engined dynamics pulling you right into the action — and action there will be. Despite all its shock and awe, it feels strangely accessible, but we can forgive them that. ferrari.com
Engine 6.5-litre V12 Power 789bhp 0–62mph 2.9secs Top speed 211mph Price £253,000
Mercedes-Benz G-Class
The name G-Class somehow makes this legendary 4x4 sound ordinary. It is anything but that. Its nickname — 'G-Wagen' — definitely works better. Thirty years on, the Mercedes G-team in Graz has given its wunderkind the most comprehensive overhaul, ramping up its off-road credentials while massively improving its ride, drive experience and luxury feel. Most importantly, they have worked very hard to retain the boxy and brutalist design that makes it so unique. Progress, but without forgetting what got you here in the first place. mercedes-benz.co.uk
Engine 3.0-litre V6 turbocharged diesel Power 237bhp 0–62mph 8.9secs Top speed 119mph Price £92,070
Bentley Continental GT
If you’re planning to take a few weeks off in late autumn and power your way across Europe on a road trip for the ages, then, after short deliberation, we suggest this should be your car. Adding driving fun and dynamics to a cabin that has few, if any, rivals, there has never been a more aptly named car than the Continental GT. A truly modern Grand Tourer but with the romance of bygone days — and likely to feel more luxurious than the hotels you stop at along the way. bentleymotors.com
Engine 6.0-litre twin-turbocharged W12 Power 626bhp 0–62mph 3.7secs Top speed 207mph Price £159,100
Lexus LC
Lexus has always had maverick moments in the midst of its general good sense, and this LC is undoubtedly one of its best aberrations to date. Introducing genuinely original design to the performance coupé arena — no easy task in today’s cluttered market — its futuristic feel contrasts well alongside its more rudimentary and no-nonsense V8 engine, which wastes no time in letting you know what it’s all about. lexus.co.uk
Engine 5.0-litre V8 Power 470bhp 0–62mph 4.7secs Top speed 155mph Price From £76,595
Range Rover Velar
It can’t be easy to produce a big and bulky SUV with genuine style. There are plenty that are fine, well-proportioned, slick, menacing, bold; but none that are beautiful. Which is why the Velar deserves credit. Targeting this empty space, Land Rover chief design officer Gerry McGovern has hit the mark, producing a car — polished, tactile, desirable — that looks pretty but also feels at home in our technophile era. It’s still rare to see such a design-led and emotional approach to a practical product executed so effectively.
landrover.co.uk
Engine 3.0-litre V6 diesel Power 295bhp 0–62mph 6.1secs Top speed 150mph Price £64,030
Audi RS6
No car has done more to put the estate back on the desirability map than the Audi RS6. Combining frighteningly fast performance with the practicalities of real family life, its Jekyll and Hyde personality has earned it a deserved cult status and also thrown the question out to the rest of the industry: who said load-lugging had to be done slowly? Let’s hope the renaissance of the “station wagon” is nigh. audi.co.uk
Engine 4.0-litre V8 Power 560bhp 0–62mph 3.9secs Top speed 155mph Price £79,470
Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio
Quietly, impressively and with no great chest-thumping, Alfa Romeo produced a modern classic in 2017 with its Giulia QV. There’s nothing quiet about the car itself, however, a super-saloon with screeching straight-line speed and fantastic handling and feel, which leapfrogs over many of its more established rivals with barely a backward glance. At this pace you need to keep your eyes on the road, after all. alfaromeo.co.uk
Engine 2.9-litre V6 BiTurbo Power 510bhp 0–62mph 3.9secs Top speed 191mph Price £59,804
Aston Martin Vantage
The first all-new Aston Martin of a promising new era under CEO Andrew Palmer, the Vantage continues the marque’s move to a more dynamic and aggressive design philosophy with taut lines and sharp edges that also nod to its performance. This “baby” Aston produces the kind of numbers a very grown-up supercar would be happy with, notably a top speed nearing 200mph and a 0–60 time under four seconds. It’s an important car for Aston that sets the tone for an enticing future. global.astonmartin.com
Engine 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 Power 503bhp 0–62mph 3.6secs Top speed 195mph Price From £120,900
Ariel Nomad
Nobody really needs a tubular-structured buggy with no windows that is capable of being driven — or preferably drifted — across pretty much any surface or substance you can think of, but that’s what makes the Nomad so appealing. Brilliantly engineered by the team at Ariel’s Somerset HQ, it’s the perfect antidote to those who find the sheer efficiency of modern cars to be too bland and predictable. An original in the truest sense. Is there a desert nearby? arielmotor.co.uk
Engine 2.4-litre 4-cylinder Power 235bhp 0–62mph 3.4secs Top speed 125mph Price From £37,000
McLaren 600LT
Deep within McLaren’s Woking nerve centre, the team behind the LT (Long Tail) series is tasked with producing stripped back, ultra high-performance models in limited numbers that go right to the heart of the brand’s racing DNA. Only the fourth model produced since 1996, this latest takes the existing 570S car as its base and asks, how much faster and more track-focused can you make it? Thanks partly to new carbon-fibre bodywork, aerodynamic tweaks and a new exhaust system, the answer is emphatic. cars.mclaren.com
Engine 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 Power 592bhp 0–62mph 2.9secs Top speed 204mph Price From £185,500
Jaguar I-Pace
Jaguar’s first all-electric car came with more hype than a heavyweight title fight, but as a feat of British engineering and as a real-world response to the debate around our automotive future, the I-Pace sure delivers. With a very usable range, clever battery layout and charging capabilities, surprising off-road performance and acceleration, it’s a trip straight to tomorrow.
jaguar.co.uk
Engine Electric battery Power 394bhp 0–62mph 4.5secs Top speed 124mph Price From £63,495
