This was a have-your-cake-and-eat-it-too year in the automotive world. So many of our favourite cars — from Bentley, BMW M, and Mercedes-AMG — have been plug-in hybrids, snarling V8s with battery power. The best of both worlds? For some drivers, yes, absolutely. For other drivers who want pure combustion-engine hedonism, Ferrari offered up the astonishing 12Cilindri, which will surely be a future classic, while Aston Martin fired back with the turbocharged V12 Vanquish. Other drivers will love the ease and simplicity of new mild-hybrid models from Audi and Range Rover. On top of all that, Mercedes delivered an all-electric version of the beloved Mercedes G-Class. So, drivers can have their V12s. And their EVs. Have it all. For all the tumult in the auto industry, this is a golden age for drivers.
By Matt Bubbers
This engine was so important Ferrari named the car after it. The 6.5-litre 12-cylinder motor at the heart of the 12Cilindri is the sort of engine industry observers thought would be killed off by tightening emissions regulations. But, somehow, Ferrari found a way to keep this V12 free from turbochargers or even hybrid systems. It makes 819 horsepower, 500 lbft of torque, and revs freely to 9,500 rpm thanks to a sliding finger-follower valvetrain, titanium con-rods, and other lightweight internals. On the road, the V12 delivers a violent mechanical symphony of speed and sound. A marvel of engineering. Bravo.
By Michael LaFave
As if being able to specify any element of your $340,000 USD Cadillac Celestiq to your liking wasn’t enough, being able to do so in a sympathetically restored Eero Saarinen architectural marvel is surely the icing on the Celestiq cake. Located just north of Detroit, Cadillac House at Vanderbilt is a modernist triumph of a customer experience centre, complete with original 1950s travertine and terrazzo floors.
By Matt Bubbers
NYC’S favourite hypebeast fashion label teamed up with TAG Heuer to update an underappreciated classic from 1986, and they absolutely nailed it. Suitably period-correct in form, with subtle co-branding throughout, the compact 35mm TAG Heuer Formula 1 Kith promptly sold out globally and further fuelled the growing interest in ’80s timepiece design.
Niche automobilia creations always catch our eye, however the fact that this Citroën DS 19 scale model has historical significance pushes it to the top of our list. In 1959 The Citroën comms department wanted to highlight the new hydropneumatic suspension system of the DS, and thus decided to float a full-sized car on four balloons on a lake as a marketing exercise. Though the DS never really caught on while on sale in Canada and the United states between 1956 and 1972, we still appreciate this little nod to Euro car culture.
By Michael LaFave
A boldly modern interpretation of the grand tourer, the original 2003 Continental GT changed Bentley’s fortunes. It awakened this storied brand that had, until then, been resting on its laurels. Today, the Continental GT has become the measure by which all other grand tourers are judged, and it just keeps on getting better. The 2025 Continental GT Speed is the fourth generation of this magnificent beast. It’s a monstrously powerful plug-in hybrid with a combined 771 horsepower driving all four wheels. The opulence of its interior design and innovative materials are entirely befitting of its $302,100 price. After criss-crossing the Swiss Alps in the new GT Speed, to call this car sublime would be to grossly understate its refinement, pace, and prowess. When you’ve got to get somewhere but you want to enjoy every moment of the journey, take the Bentley. Truly magnificent.
By Matt Bubbers
Douglas Peterson-Hui, the BC artist behind The Architect’s Garage, on why he began creating his popular illustrations that combine clients’ cars with architectural masterpieces: “I began shortly after graduating from the master of architecture program at TMU, just as the pandemic began. With job opportunities in architecture scarce and plenty of free time, I seized the moment to explore my creative side. What started as a social media page to share personal work with internet strangers quickly transformed into a thriving business, with many clients reaching out for custom commissions. I have slowed down the number of illustrations I produce, as I currently work at an architecture firm, but still run my art business on the side.” Prices start at $300.
By Matt Bubbers
Pierce Brosnan, aging gracefully, wears a double-breasted suit and cashmere overcoat as he heads out on vacation in James Bond’s old BMW 7 Series, also aging gracefully. They’re going wherever the wind may take them.
By Matt Bubbers
If you thought plug-in hybrids were always the good guys, guess again. The full-size S 63 E Performance is every modern movie villain’s dream. EV mode means it can be sneaky when it needs to be. It looks boss, and the V8 plus electric motor combo makes 791 horsepower and 1055 lb-ft of torque; nobody’s catching you or your crew in this.
By Justin Mastine-Frost
From its prime views of the 15th and 16th holes, to its elevated food and beverage, to its clever on-site brand activations, the Genesis Club at Montreal’s Presidents Cup proved yet again that the Korean automaker is an expert in the luxury hospitality space, as well as making exceptional automobiles.
By Matt Bubbers
At the risk of stating the obvious, boxy is back. Boxy pants. Boxy jackets. And boxy cars. No SUV quite nailed the look this year as well as the all-new Lexus GX. The best bit? It’s every bit as rugged as it looks.
By Matt Bubbers
The modern long-wheelbase Range Rover is the Loro Piana baseball hat of SUVs. It’s good for practically any occasion, any weather, and feels like a million bucks but doesn’t look like it. It won’t draw unwanted attention. Plus, the Range feels as secure as a bank vault and is absurdly overbuilt. For all those reasons, a Range Rover is the best way to glide around stealthily in the lap of absolute luxury.
If you haven’t been inside a Range Rover in a while, we’d strongly suggest you go take one for a test drive. You’re in for a shock. Over the last decade or so, the British brand has made a concerted effort to move up into ultra-luxury territory previously only occupied by the likes of Rolls-Royce and Bentley. These days, the top-of-the-line Range Rover Autobiography and SV — especially in long-wheelbase (LWB) trim — offer a level of opulence that’s on par with those other British brands but without the ostentatious outward appearance.
It all comes down to your taste and how you build out your Range Rover. The options are infinite thanks to the firm’s SV Bespoke service that offers paint-to-sample and custom finishes. The SV Bespoke Natural Brown Walnut veneer with its paper-thin pinstripe metal inlays must be touched to be believed. (It has a handmade quality that’s increasingly rare in the modern automotive world, at any price.) The wood-rimmed steering wheel feels so luxurious every time it passes under your palms. Customers can also, if they wish, banish almost any hint of plastic from the cabin with the SV Bespoke full-extended leather upgrade. We’re especially partial to the full leather headliner and leather door trim in a deep garnet colour. It pairs beautifully with the walnut veneer. Under-the-radar luxury doesn’t get better than this.
By Michael LaFave
Given a certain number of people and their things to transport from one place to another there is only one solution: a full-size SUV. And, if you’re going to go big, go all the way. The all-new 2025 INFINITI QX80 takes exactly this kind of maximalist approach to the problem of transporting a large group in the lap of luxury. The brand’s long-running flagship SUV has been completely redone from the ground up for 2025. As a result, it has ascended the big-SUV ranks to compete with the finest offerings in the full-size, full-feature, deluxe class of seven- or eight-passenger luxo-liners. This powerful, capable, and commodious vehicle brings a level of refinement and technology that can only come from INFINITI, a Japanese brand that’s proud to draw inspiration and direction from its heritage and tradition of hospitality.
“The all-new QX80 is a sizable canvas for us, as designers, to express INFINITI’s artistry,” says Alfonso Albaisa, the charismatic Cuban-American designer based in Japan leading the brand’s design team. “INFINITI’s hospitality starts before you even step inside the vehicle,” he explained. “As you approach, the lights awaken, first with the badge and the grille, and then extending across a beautiful headlamp signature.”
Step into the interior and you’ll see more of that artistry. You’ll find finely crafted Napa leather, cold-to-the-touch metal, and thick wood trim. Each material is carefully layered one upon the next; the design draws inspiration from the Japanese art of layering as well as private jet interiors. The cabin’s monolithic screens provide immediate access to the myriad features of the QX80, not least of which the Klipsch audio system. It offers a nearly unparalleled level of audiophile-quality sound, detail, and power with 24 speakers and 1,200 watts.
Speaking of power, the QX80 is powered by a twin-turbocharged V6 that draws on decades of INFINITI performance vehicles and racing exploits to deliver 450 horsepower, which is more than enough to move the QX with alacrity. The dynamically adjusting air suspension absolutely smothers road imperfections and brings a new level of both comfort and poise to this class of vehicle. Not only that, but the QX80 can tow an astonishing 8,500 pounds.
It’s impossible to adequately cover off the hundreds of innovative and helpful features of the new QX80 (such as the ingenious Invisible Hood View system), but suffice it to say this is one of the most capable and cosseting vehicles available today. That it carries the promise of Japanese quality, hospitality, dependability, and longevity seals the deal for this safe and stylish family hauler.
By Rod Cleaver
The Audi A4 is dead. Long live the Audi A5. It’s the same Audi sedan we’ve known and loved, but also entirely different, and not technically a sedan anymore.
The name change from A4 and A5 is due to a recalibration of Audi nomenclature — we’ll spare you the details — but rest assured the all-new 2025 Audi A5 and its sporty S5 counterpart are worthy successors to the A4’s legacy. How do we know? Because we recently had the opportunity to drive the new cars on the Maritime Alps around the French Riviera.
With its chopped roof, lower window profile and elongated wheelbase with short fender overhangs, the dramatically redesigned A5 looks to have escaped from the designers’ sketch pad without any of the idealistic passion diluted. Note that Audi presented the A5 as a sedan, but it’s technically a hatchback. Whatever. What really matters is that the extra-large trunk opening makes the storage space far more usable.
Of more consequence is the fact the new A5 is the first model to be marketed featuring Audi’s next-generation platform architecture. This move allowed the A5 to migrate more upmarket in terms of comfort, convenience, and performance.
Step into the cabin, for example, and you’re immediately struck by Audi’s new Human Centric interior design. Both front and rear seats feel more spacious. Fabric and other luxurious materials flow uninterrupted around the doors and dashboard, creating a panorama across the passenger space. A seemingly continuous OLED glass panel, which Audi calls its Digital Stage, is built on the new E3 electronic architecture with built-in ChatGPT.
As for what they’re like to drive, stiffer suspension components and more direct steering give the new sedan an incredibly precise feel that inspires confidence. Power comes from a 201-horsepower turbo four-cylinder or, in the S5, a new turbo V6 mild-hybrid putting down 362 hp through a quick shifting dual-clutch gearbox and Audi’s Quattro all-wheel-drive.
An afternoon spent on the serpentine mountain roads that hang above the Mediterranean coast was enough to confirm the 2025 A5 is more than a worthy successor to the legendary A4.
By Matt Bubbers
Just look at it. You want one, don’t you? maybe in silver metallic, or midnight purple, or British racing green. Perhaps a saddle-tan leather interior with the panoramic roof, or maybe you’re doing an entirely bespoke colour/trim combo whipped up with Aston’s Q division. The fact is the 2025 Aston Martin Vanquish is hot. It’s this year’s most beautiful car.
The English designer Marek Reichman, who has been shaping Aston Martin’s cars since he joined the firm in 2005, seems to be incapable of making anything other than beautiful machines, but even by his standards the all-new Vanquish is a stone-cold stunner.
“It’s looking for its prey. This is actually looking for one of those red cars,” Reichman said, taking a cheeky shot at Ferrari while giving us a tour of his latest creation.
Seen in person, it’s hard to believe the $514,800 Vanquish is made of hard metal. The deeply sculpted surfaces across the doors and over the rear haunches look almost liquid. When the sun hits them, they shimmer like mercury.
Classical sports car proportions give the Vanquish its timeless presence. Compared to the V8-engined Aston DB12, the V12-engined Vanquish is much longer, which explains its leaner, more exotic appearance. If you look at the car’s inside profile you’ll notice the ratio of glass to metal is roughly 1/3 to 2/3, the golden ratio. Look closely and you’ll see that ratio used throughout the design.
Making such a beauty was a major investment. Those longer, leaner proportions meant Aston’s engineers had to create a new platform for this car, of which they will only make a maximum of 1,000 examples every year. The engineers also had to completely revise and remake the 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12 to produce 824 horsepower and 738 lb-ft of torque. It’s an absolute brute of an engine, sounding simultaneously rich and angry through its titanium exhaust. We drove it across Sardinia and can confirm the new Vanquish drives just as beautifully as it looks.
By Matt Bubbers
Introducing the 2025 BMW M5 and M5 Touring, the hybrid built to elevate your every day
Take it from us, doing 300km/h on the unrestricted German Autobahn doesn’t leave you with much time or need for hand-wringing about whether BMW’s new plug-in hybrid M5 is too heavy or not.
With 717 hybrid horsepower on tap from a twin-turbo V8 paired with an electric motor, BMW’s big super-sedan accelerates from 150 km/h like it’s taking off from a standstill. Foot to the floor, the M5 sedan kicks us back into its deeply bolstered leather buckets and begins to reel in the horizon at an alarming pace: 200 km/h is nothing, 250, 270, 289. The numbers on the heads-up display are still ticking past so fast they’re barely legible. Just as we rocket past 300 km/h, a delivery van in the distance pulls into our lane and we have to rely on the carbon-ceramic brakes to slow 2.4 tonnes of Bavarian steel. They do, and we’re back to a relaxed 200 km/h cruise.
The fans were (predictably) up in arms about the super-sedan’s porky 2.4 tonne weight, which is admittedly very heavy. It’s like if the previous M5 suddenly packed on the additional weight of a fully grown horse. The hybrid battery and electric motor alone added around 250 kilos. Since weight is the natural enemy of all fun cars, fans were freaking out. We had concerns.
But this is M Division. When it comes to their core products these guys don’t miss: the M2, M3 with a stick-shift, M4 CSL, the old M5 CS.
To compensate for the M5’s weight, engineers reinforced the chassis and added rear-wheel steering. On winding country roads near Munich, the M5 turns-in immediately. It’s shocking at first. That, in combination with 738 lb-ft of torque going to all four wheels, makes this car devastatingly rapid.
Is the new M5 graceful like a prima ballerina? No. Is it good for track days? No. But is this perhaps the greatest plug-in-hybrid vehicle yet devised? Probably. It’ll crush your commute, entertain you on weekend blasts, carry your whole family and their gear, plus it’ll even do 43 kilometres on battery power alone. The cherry on top is that, for the first time, the M5 is available as a station wagon, too. Yes, it’s even heavier but don’t worry; just go drive it.
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