High-Octane Horsepower for the Holidays
With electrification sweeping the automotive world, now is the time to secure luxury and performance vehicles that proudly remain petrol-powered. The old-school car aficionado on your list will be thrilled to find one of these machines waiting under the tree, ready to roar to life.
While the British brand is looking to incorporate electrification as soon as next year, it is one of those stalwart automakers that still produces only traditionally-fueled performance cars. This 60th Anniversary flagship DB12 2+2 seater drop-top sports a twin turbo V8 that delivers a 202mph top speed and a neck-snapping acceleration from 0 to 62mph of 3.7 seconds; the same kind of punching performance that was offered when the signature DB line debuted back in 1950. This exciting power is, as expected, well-met with luxurious Bond-worthy interior options like a world-class Bowers & Wilkins sound system, commemorative badged leatherwork, and four vintage-inspired interior color ways, from Titanium Grey to Magneto Bronze. astonmartin.com
The flag-bearer of Japanese luxury and performance is well ahead of the game on electrification, behind Toyota’s game-changing U.S. Prius debut back in 2000. However, while hybrid, plug-in, and full-battery power dominate the Lexus stable, there are still traditional combustion-engine luxury performance vehicles to be found as the brand shoots for full battery power across the board in 2035. This Lexus IS 500 F SPORT Performance sedan, for example, features a blistering 5.0-liter naturally aspirated V8 that delivers 472 horses and carries particularly sporty-looking stacked quad exhausts. In fact, those who have driven this car compare it quite favorably to fueled models from a certain German carmaker that starts with a “P”. lexus.com
While an electric version of its sporty Spectre coupe debuted in 2023, the austerely proper English carmaker is planning to become fully electric by 2030. That means the clock is loudly ticking to acquire a traditional full-fuel Rolls, like the significantly upgraded Ghost Series II. The elegantly chauffeurable “gentlemen’s saloon” still delivers abundant interior luxury, comfort, and custom craftsmanship, along with celebrity-grade arrival moments via its immaculate exterior fit and finish. And, by getting your hands on one now, you will be assured of the marque’s signature, riding-on-a-cloud civilized performance (with plenty of oomph when needed) with a time-tested, technically-advanced 563hp twin-turbo V12 engine. rolls-roycemotorcars.com
While the forward-looking engineering focus of the German automaker made for one of the earliest forays into full-electrification for luxury performance cars with the 2013 debut of the innovative i8, the brand is still, at least for the time being, committed to both electric and combustion models for its special performance line of M series creations. This BMW M8 Competition Gran Coupe will redefine your concept of executive-grade daily commuting with its 4.4-liter bi-turbo V8 power plant that builds up a no-worry 617 horses with a track-ready cooling system for more intense driving. Go even more old-school-performance with optional 8-speed manual M gearshift paddles for the transmission. bmwusa.com
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