Car reviews

The Porsche 911, in all of its generations, is a legendary machine. As some would say, it has mastered the art of having the engine in “the wrong place”. The classic 911 models in particular that are the most intriguing and often subject to modernization by tuning studios. The Italian coachbuilding company Ares Design has chosen to let its creativity loose upon the 964-generation 911 Turbo, resulting in one of the most epic recreations ever. Of course, there are other studios that have their own interpretations of the 911, so what makes the Ares 964 Turbo so special?

Novitec is the rare tuner that has mastered the art of building subtle tuning programs that aren’t really all that subtle once the package is in place. Whereas other tuners turn on the “wow” factor with obscene aerodynamic upgrades or over-the-top engine modifications — some even combine both — Novitec is perfectly happy providing all-around programs that offer the required improvements without any of the unwanted excess.

Take this new kit for the Ferrari F8 Tributo. You would think that a supercar that already packs a 720-horsepower 3.9-liter twin-turbocharged engine is powerful enough on its own. While that may be true for some, there’s nothing wrong with massaging more power out of that V-8 engine while also providing the right amount of aerodynamic improvements that leads to a more powerful and better handling ride. It takes a tuner with the kind of experience in the game like Novitec has to understand this delicate balancing act. We’ve seen it time and time again from the German tuner, and we’re seeing it now with the Ferrari F8 Tributo.

The 2021 Dacia Bigster is a concept vehicle developed by Renault for the Romanian brand and unveiled in early 2021. An SUV measuring 4.6 meters (181.1 inches) long, the 2021 Bigster concept unveils a production SUV that will compete in the compact crossover segment. The Bigster will slot above the highly popular Duster in the lineup and will become Dacia’s largest offering yet. Just like the Duster, the production version of the Bigster will probably be sold as a Renault in some markets. A new joint business between Dacia and Lada, both owned by Renault, will probably spawn a rebadged Lada model for certain Easter European and Asian markets too.

Like the other TCR cars before it, the Elantra N TCR is a race car you can’t get to drive on public roads. It has been developed to serve private racing teams and it’s underpinned by the popular Elantra sedan; although not much is carried over from the original car except the chassis and well, the name.

The 2021 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing is an upcoming, high-performance version of the company’s midsize sedan. Set to become the range-topping version of the current CT5, the Blackwing will slot above the CT5-V. Performance-wise, the 2021 CT5-V Blackwing will be the first true successor to the CTS-V, as the CT5-V doesn’t fill the bill in terms of power and torque. On top of a powerful V-8 engine with more than 600 horsepower, the 2021 CT5-V Blackwing will also feature a more aggressive exterior and a revised interior with unique features and upgrades. Find out what to expect from this beefed-up sedan from our speculative review below.

The Abarth 595 is a pocket rocket that makes you grin every time you drive it. If you are someone who prefers driving a slow car fast instead of a fast car slow, this needs to go on your bucket list. And, it looks like Pogea Racing understands that. The company has brought out a Hercules version that doesn’t just look sinister, but also comes with a significant power boost that will plaster a wide smile on your face.

Hyundai initially launched the Ioniq as a hybrid car, then as an electric one, and finally as a plug-in hybrid. But, in 2020, the company decided to relaunch it as its sub-brand that will consist of all-electric models only. Fast forward to the present day and we already have a glimpse of its first vehicle, the Ioniq 5 mid-size crossover. Hyundai released three teaser images of the Ioniq, a month before it makes its full-fledged debut.

The 2020 Citroen Ami is an all-electric vehicle based on the Ami One concept that the French company unveiled in 2019. Only 95 inches long and 55 inches wide, the Ami is in fact an elecric quadricycle rather than a full-blown car and it can be driven without a driver’s license.

This makes it accessible to people as young as 16 in most European countries (and 14 in France). Developed as a solution for city commuting over relatively short distances, the Ami is named after the original Citroen Ami, an economy car that the French firm produced from 1961 to 1978. What’s it all about and should you buy one? Find out in our review below.

The 2021 Lexus LC 500 Inspiration is a special edition sports coupé that doesn’t give you much of a choice in terms of available colors. It’s only available in black, and it’s dripping in black from nose to tail. We didn’t know Lexus was capable of making the LC 500 look cooler than it already is, but here we are. The 2021 Lexus LC 500 Inspiration is the embodiment of stealthy aggression, and we’re all for it.

The SEAT brand we know now is very different from the SEAT we knew a decade ago. The wind of transformation has been blowing over the Volkswagen Group-owned carmaker lately and SEAT has been enjoying a new life thanks to a revised lineup brimming with good-looking cars.

In the process, the Cupra nameplate - used to designate the sportiest models of the SEAT bunch - evolved into a standalone brand and without wasting any time, it has come up with an electric car, albeit with a little help from the VW ID.3. Let’s check out the Cupra el-Born EV.

2020 didn’t suck entirely for the car world, and other than the usual suspects, we were teased with a handful of upcoming hypercars. For example, Toyota took to Le Mans to unveil its first-ever hypercar in front of the public.

While unveil is a big word, really - we only saw a heavy-camouflaged prototype lapping the Circuit de la Sarthe track, the presentation came with a couple of specs and numbers. Until Toyota decides to fully loosen its lips on the topic, here’s all we know so far about the GR Super Sport hypercar.

Land Rover Defender is one of the most popular choices for tuners and aftermarket companies to show off their skills and creativity. This time, it’s Ares Designs’ turn to show off what it could make of this butch SUV. Called the Defender Spec 1.2, it comes with changes inside out. The exterior includes stuff like carbon fiber bodywork and a panoramic roof and the interior benefits from some luxurious touches. Even the four-cylinder engine is swapped in favor of a V-8 engine for that extra grunt and roar.

The 2021 BMW M3 CS is an upcoming, higher performance version of the company’s four-door sedan. A successor to the F80-generation M3 CS that BMW produced in 2018, the 2021 M3 CS will boast similar upgrades over the current M3. It will feature a more powerful engine, a range of aero-enhancing features on the outside, some exclusive trim on the inside, and it will be built in limited numbers. Find out what will set it apart from the current M3 in the speculative review below.

The 2021 Porsche Boxster 25 Years is a limited-edition version of the company’s entry-level sports car. As the name suggests, it celebrates 25 years since the Boxster went into production back in 1996. Limited to 1,250 units globally, the 2021 Boxster 25 Years is based on the sporty 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 and it pays tribute to the Boxster Concept, which Porsche unveiled in 1993 at the Detroit Auto Show. What sets it apart from the more regular Boxster GTS 4.0? Let’s find out in the review below.

From the outside, and to the 99-percenters, the Rolls-Royce Cullinan looks like an over-priced BMW or a reworked Phantom with a taller roof that was designed to keep the brand from falling into the abyss of irrelevant brands. In fact, you might actually be right to some extent. The Cullinan does look a lot like the Phantom in the front thanks to the big rectangular grille, boxy headlights, and square front end. And, the brand is owned by BMW, so yeah, there’s some Bimmer DNA there too. That said, the Cullinan is the very first Rolls-Royce SUV and, outside of that, it also introduced a lot of new tech for the brand, including an off-road driving mode and all-wheel drive. Introduced in 2017, the Rolls-Royce Cullinan has been on the market for a few years now, and it’s been staring down the barrel of the Bentley Bentayga ever since. So, how does is hold up three years in? Well, we spent a week with the Cullinan to find out for ourselves, and this is what you need to know.

The 2021 Hyundai Kona N is an upcoming high-performance version of the company’s subcompact SUV. Launched in 2017, the Kona has become so popular in just three years that Hyundai is pushing it into high-performance territory. The Kona is the brand’s first SUV to feature an "N" badge, joining cars like the i20, i30, Veloster, and Elantra. Is the 2021 Kona N just as powerful as Hyundai’s N-badged cars and will it come to the U.S.? Let’s find out in the review below.

The 2021 Ferrari Omologata is a one-off grand tourer based on the 812 Superfast. Commissioned by an European customer, the 2020 Omologata is the 10th front-engined, V-12 one-off Ferrari built since the 2009 P540 Superfast Aperta. A tribute to Ferrari GT race cars from the 1950s and 1960s, as well as their homologation-spec, road-legal counterparts, the Omolagata was designed and built in a little more than two years. Find out what sets it apart from the 812 Superfast in the review below.

The next-generation Mercedes AMG SL63 has repeatedly been spotted out testing. The car is slowly being unveiled, as now it has even less camouflage than before. Compared to models like the SLS AMG and its successor, the AMG GT, it was always a bit on the softer side in terms of the overall driver characteristics. However, things might change with this new generation, as it is the first SL, developed by AMG. What will this mean for the SL’s current target group?

Instead of introducing a brand new model in the rather popular three-row SUV market, Jeep played it smart and decided to offer the Grand Cherokee SUV itself with an extra set of seats. Called the Grand Cherokee L, Jeep decided to capitalize on this 27-year old popular moniker instead of building a new vehicle from the ground up that may or may not have been successful.

Jeep has sold over 200,000 examples of the Grand Cherokee annually in the last four years, so there’s no reason why the three-row Grand Cherokee L won’t be a hit. But, is it just about extra seats, or does the Grand Cherokee L bring something new to the table?

In the first quarter of 2020, Chinese EV automaker Nio had almost gotten knocked out of the auto scene. But, thanks to an investment of $1 billion from the local government, Nio managed to get a second lease on life. It revealed the updated version of its electric, the ES8, and there’s no looking back ever since. Nio is growing leaps and bounds and the launch of its latest EV is a testimony to that.

The new electric sedan is called ET7. It will be offered with three different battery sizes, with the biggest of them all claiming to deliver 620 miles on a single charge! With pretty decent performance figures and tech features, can the ET7 take on the Tesla Model S successfully?

Most would agree that many great cars came from the 1960s. It was a time of style, performance, and competitive spirit. Although these days are long gone, the people who remember them and those who want to familiarize themselves with the vintage motoring experience, companies like Eagle are recreating the old formula with a touch of refinement.

Eagle is a small British car company that has been making some of the most exciting Jaguar E-Types for over 35 years now. The Eagle Low Drag GT is said to be the ultimate way of experiencing Jaguar’s vintage motorsports prowess. But just how much E-Type is there in it?