Sports Car reviews

The 2021 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye is the range-topping version of Charger four-door sedan lineup. An upgrade to the more familiar Charger SRT Hellcat, the Redeye borrows its looks, drivetrain, and technology from the Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye. And just like the coupe, the sedan includes drivetrain components from the Challenger SRT Demon. Since there won’t be a Demon version of the Charger, the 2021 SRT Hellcat Redeye is the most powerful version of the American sedan. What’s more, it’s also the fastest and most powerful mass-produced sedan in the world. Let’s find out more about it in the review below.

The current-gen Durango has been in the running for a decade now, and it was high time for the fourth-gen to make its debut. However, the company announced that it’ll just be a facelift. But, after seeing the 2021 Durango “facelift”, we are not complaining because this is even better than the next-gen stuff.

Apart from the exterior and cabin upgrades, Dodge has added an SRT trim to the Durango’s lineup that brings with it the Hellcat engine. The Durango equipped with this mill will make a mammoth 710 horses that will allow the heavy family hauler to sprint to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds! Well, this a fourth of July present from FCA that we’ll gleefully accept.

The Chevrolet Corvette C8 is awesome in it of itself. With 495 horsepower on tap in the Z51 guise, the 2020 Vette can set a blistering pace, taking only three seconds to go from 0 to 60 mph. So if a 495-horsepower Corvette C8 Z51 is already capable of such speeds, imagine what a 736-horsepower Corvette C8 is capable of when it goes under the tuning ringer.

Extreme Turbo Systems — the name says it all — recently worked on a bone stock Corvette C8 Z51 with the goal of raising its power to supercar levels. The tuning firm even released a video of the Vette C8 strapped to a dyno rig, undergoing serious testing. The video isn’t particularly exciting, but make no mistake about it, this Corvette C8 Z51 isn’t your typical 2020 Corvette. You might even say that this Vette can give the Lamborghini Aventador S a serious run for its money.

The 2020 Lotus Exige Sport 410 20th Anniversary Edition is a special-edition version of the company’s already iconic Exige sports coupe. Developed to celebrate 20 years since the Exige was introduced, the 20th Anniversary Edition is based on the Sport 410, one of the most powerful iterations of the third-generation Exige. The package includes extra features inspired by the original Exige and extra standard features, but the drivetrain remains unchanged. Let’s find out more about it in the review below.

The 2020 McLaren 720S Le Mans is a limited-edition version of the company’s mid-range supercar. It was created to celebrate 25 years since McLaren won the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the F1 GTR. We could say that the 720S Le Mans is some sort of spiritual successor to the 650S Le Mans, which was launched in 2015 to celebrate 20 years since the company’s win on Circuit de la Sarthe. Limited to only 50 units, the 2020 720S Le Mans comes with unique features inside and out, and it’s powered by the same V-8 engine as the standard model.

Those familiar with the work of Dutch outfit Donkervoort know that the company borders on the extreme with its go-fast machines. In fact, there’s no better preacher to that creed than the D8 GTO-JD70, an anniversary edition that honors the founder of Donkervoort, Joop Donkervoort, who just turned 70.

Just as customers are now receiving their Ferrari F8 Tributos, a new aftermarket program is already available for Maranello’s successor to the 488 GTB. As most have likely guessed correctly, this program comes to us by way of Novitec, the Italian tuner that’s best known for its work on some of Italia’s finest supercars. This new program for the F8 Tributo is a chop off the old block for the German tuner. It’s tricked out with an impressive engine upgrade, a new set of wheels, and improvements to the suspension that should make the F8 more potent on the road and track. The package also comes with an aerodynamic body kit, but as it is with early bird tuning kits, the aforementioned aero kit remains in the oven and will be launched at a later time. Still, it’s hard not to like what Novitec already has on the table for the F8 Tributo. After all, it’s not easy to turn a 700-horsepower supercar into a bonafide spitfire.

The 2020 Porsche 911 Targa 4S Heritage Design Edition is a limited-edition version of the 911 Targa, which the German automaker unveiled in late May 2020. Initially showcased on the 911 Speedster in 2019, the Heritage Design package makes its debut on the 992-generation 911 through the Targa model and Porsche says that three more models will follow. The series will also be joined by a Heritage product line, as well as a limited-edition chronograph. The Heritage Design package is just a visual upgrade, with no modifications to the drivetrain, and it pays tribute to Porsche from the 1950s and early 1960s.

The Hyundai Veloster is a fun, affordable car that is positioned securely in the compact hatchback niche and, while it doesn’t rank necessarily high in terms of power, its unique style, performance, and fairly upscale interior is quite noteworthy. Currently a year into its second generation, we decided it was time to get behind the wheel of Hyundai’s fan favorite, and to our surprise, a Veloster Turbo landing in Topspeed HQ’s parking lot. This, my friends, gave us the perfect opportunity to see how the Veloster Turbo holds water against models like the Volkswagen Golf GTI and the Honda Civic Sport Touring. This is our story after spending a week with the one and only Hyundai Veloster Turbo.

The Mk. 8 Golf GTI TCR will build on top of an already amazing package to take things to the next level. As a model that’s more oriented toward the driver, it’ll feature a whopping 300 horsepower, all of which will be shunted through an eight-speed DCT. There’s no definite on-sale date as of yet, but it should launch in late 2020 as a 2021 model.

Update 5/12/2020: The Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR was spotted in the wild with almost no camo. Check it out in our special “Spy Shots” section below!

As the world continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, Mazda is giving loyal fans a reason to celebrate with the launch of the MX-5 R-Sport Limited Edition. Available only in the U.K., the MX-5 R-Sport Limited Edition is a fresh take at the beloved roadster, complete with exclusive touches in the exterior and interior.

The Mazda MX-5 R-Sport Limited Edition is a fresher and bolder version of a roadster that’s not lacking in impressive design qualities. Only 150 units of the special edition MX-5 will be available. Each model is priced at £27,700, which converts to around $34,600 based on current exchange rates. It’s unclear if the special edition MX-5 will be sold in the U.S., though knowing how these things work, don’t get your hopes up.

The A90-generation Toyota Supra is now more than a year old, which means its time to expect some updates to roll out for the sports coupe. To its credit, Toyota is wasting little time getting that ball rolling with the arrival of the special edition Supra Horizon Blue Edition. Based specifically on the RZ trim of the sports coupe — it’s a JDM model — the GR Supra RZ Horizon Blue Edition arrives with a steady diet of new and exclusive features, none more obvious than the splashy Horizon Blue paint finish. The Toyota GR Supra RZ Horizon Edition is limited to just 100 units, all of which are earmarked for the Japanese market.

Here it is, ladies and gentlemen! It’s been a long road to get to this point, but now we’re finally getting our first look at the next-generation Volkswagen Golf R. A test mule of the big daddy Golf R was recently spotted doing some test runs in the snow, and yes, this particular prototype is wearing nothing but fresh paint.

There’s no camouflage in sight, allowing us to see the next-generation Golf R in all its glory. Specific details in the prototype present clear markings of the Golf R’s DNA so unless Volkswagen has a surprise for us with a different Golf-based hot hatch, what we’re looking at here is the next-generation Golf R.

There’s no set timetable on when the Golf R is expected to arrive, but with the just-as-new Golf GTI expected to debut at the 2020 Geneva Motor Show, Volkswagen could hold off the Golf R’s debut for later in the year. Or it could join the Golf GTI in Geneva. Either way, the all-new Golf R is here.

Update 4/29/2020: The 2021 Volkswagen Golf R was recently spotted doing some on-track testing with no camouflage. Check out the special Spy Shots section below to check them out and learn more about it.

Mere days after we saw a prototype version of the all-new BMW M4 prancing around in test mule form comes its hardtop sibling, which, not surprisingly, is also decked in full camo regalia. To be fair, this isn’t the first time that the BMW M4 Coupe was spotted in the wild.

Back in December, we caught a glimpse of the sports coupé being unloaded from a car transporter. That sighting didn’t amount to much, but this fresh batch of spy photos shows the M4 Coupe — still wrapped in heavy camouflage — in its more natural state, engaged in test runs in and around the streets of Germany.

Just like its roofless sibling, the all-new BMW M4 Coupe is set to debut sometime this summer ahead of its market launch at the end of the year. But before any of that happens, BMW will continue doing test runs of the M4, hopefully with fewer camo wraps in the succeeding sessions.

Update 4/28/2020: The BMW M4 Coupe was spied testing once again, and this time we’ve gotten a look at the interior. Check it out in our special Spy Shots section below!

In the short time that it’s been around, the Toyota Supra has become an aftermarket darling. Tuners have taken to building programs for the A90 Supra with as much fervor as the nameplate commands. Even companies known for building kits for other automakers have turned their attention to the Supra.

Count Manhart Performance on that list. The German house that’s best known for tuning BMW models has prepared a comprehensive program for the Supra that includes an engine upgrade program, suspension tweaks, new wheels, and a host of aesthetic modifications to the exterior and interior. The result is a raunchy Japanese sports car that now lives up to the revered Supra nameplate.

With a 4.4-liter turbocharged V-8 engine producing 591 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque, the BMW F90 M5 packs a mean punch. The performance sedan is capable of sprinting from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds. It’s also capable of maxing out at 155 mph, though if you take the limiter off, the M5 can blitz its way to a top speed of 186 mph. All these numbers paint a clear picture of the M5’s performance capabilities, and, at least on the surface, the numbers are impressive. Then again, the F90 M5 is still teeming with untapped potential, and when there’s room for improvement, a tuner like G-Power is there to answer the bell. This, ladies and gentlemen, is the orange metallic body wrap-wearing BMW F90 M5 Hurricane RS by G-Power, and it is a monster in every sense of the word.

A year after announcing that it had become an official video game partner for Gran Turismo Sport, Mazda has unveiled its new digital ride for the game. Called the RX-Vision GT3 Concept, the GT3-class racer is as enthralling and as captivating as you expect it would be.

That’s not a surprise given that the racer pilfers some of its design cues from the obnoxiously raunchy RX-Vision Concept that Mazda unveiled at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show. The low-riding, slinky racer is the creation of Ikuo Maeda, Mazda’s global design boss. The Mazda RX-Vision GT3 Concept isn’t available in Gran Turismo Sport, at least not until May 25, when it arrives as part of an online update. It will join the Atenza Gr.3 as the second GT3-class Mazda in the game.

Introduced in 2014, the Mercedes-AMG GT is no longer the company’s flagship sports car, but a full lineup of vehicles. In three years, AMG not only developed a Roadster but also launched a higher performance coupe and a beefed-up convertible too. Oh, and it also created two different race cars based on the GT. In all, the AMG GT includes seven members, which is darn impressive. But Mercedes-AMG won’t stop here. Although rumors of a Black Series model have yet to be confirmed, recent spy shots suggest that such a version is indeed underway. And we might just see it in the metal in early 2019.

With the GT R in showrooms, a Black Series model might not make much sense, but Mercedes has plenty of room to either slot it between the GT S and GT R or place it above everything else as a range-topping model. The latter scenario is more likely, so we could get an AMG GT with close to 600 horsepower and built in a very limited run. We should find out more later this year, so make sure you stick around for updates. Meanwhile, have a look at my speculative review below.

Update 3/24/2020: The Mercedes-AMG Black Series is about ready for production and we just got a fresh look. Check out the Spy Shots section below to see the latest pictures and learn what has changed!

The Mercedes-AMG GT R is a real looker with its long nose and swooped back cabin. Just looking at it evokes all the feelings you’d expect from a precision-built, six-figure machine that bears both the AMG and Mercedes logo. It’s an impressive car, to say the least, but what happens when you get behind the wheel of one of the 750 GT R Roadsters that will be produced? Does it still evoke that same high-end sports car feeling? Does it still feel like it’s ready for the track from the moment you sit down in the seat? Does it drive any different compared to the coupe it is based on? Well, we spent a week with the AMG GT R, and we’ve set out to answer all those questions and more.

The 2021 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS is an upcoming high-performance variant of the 982-generation Cayman that’s rumored to debut in 2020. Essentially a more aggressive and powerful version of the existing 718 Cayman GT4, the 2021 will be the first of its kind and the first modern 718 to feature the "RS" badge. This car has been in the rumor mill ever since the first Cayman GT4 was introduced in 2015, but it took Porsche around four years to turn it into reality. Better late than never, I guess.

The 2021 718 Cayman GT4 RS is more than just a rumor now. The car has already been spotted on public roads with some camouflage on its body, but also with a beefed-up exterior. It features bigger vents in the front, a big rear wing, and many small details that set it apart from the already familiar GT4. Just like the latter, the 2021 718 Cayman GT4 RS will feature the 911’s 4.0-liter flat-six under the hood, but in a more powerful setup. Let’s find out more about it in the review below.

Update 3/18/2020: The Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS has been spotted doing some cold-weather testing and there are a few subtle changes that you need to know about. Check it out in our “Spy Shots” section below!

The 2020 Skoda Octavia vRS is the high-performance version of the fourth-generation liftback sedan. Available in both sedan and wagon body styles, the 2020 Octavia vRS boasts the sportier, more angular design of the latest Octavia, but the really big news is that it features a hybrid drivetrain. This isn’t surprising given that it shares underpinnings with the latest Volkswagen Golf,, but it’s the first vRS model to sport a form of electrification. The 2020 Octavia vRS iV is the first performance Skoda model with a plug-in hybrid drivetrain. It also joins other electrified Octavia models like two mild hybrids and a less powerful plug-in. Let’s find out more about this performance four-door in the review below.

We’ve all heard of Mansory, but few of us actually love the German tuner’s audacious creations. But other than Lamborghinis, Rolls-Royces, and Bentleys, Mansory is also in the business of spicing up fully-blown off-road side-by-sides like the Can-Am Maverick.

That’s right, you can go to Mansory and ask them to tweak your Maverick on all fronts. And they’ll gladly do it, except the end result won’t be called Maverick anymore. It’s new name is Xerocole. Mansory Xerocole.

The 2021 Porsche 911 Turbo S is the range-topping version of the latest, 992-generation Porsche 911. Unveiled during the virtual edition of the 2020 Geneva Motor Show, the 2021 911 Turbo S arrive before its least powerful twin, the Turbo. Fitted with a twin-turbo, 3.8-liter flat-six engine rated at 640 horsepower, the 2021 911 Turbo S is the most powerful 911 Turbo model ever. It’s also the quickest, as the beefed-up coupe needs only 2.6 seconds to hit 60 mph from a standing start. How does it compare with the old Turbo S and similar sports cars on the market? Let’s find out in the review below.