Driving forces

Five forthcoming premium models that showcase creativity and innovation in spades. By Dylan Campbell

The automotive industry incubates some of the brightest creative minds in the world. Daring designers who push the limits of automotive styling; engineers who continually devise cars that are more refined, luxurious and performance-accessible than ever.

The result is that we’re spoiled for choice between cars that are the best the world has ever known. And yet, there’s always more to come — advanced technologies, ever finer craftsmanship, and unprecedented levels of grandeur.

An automotive trend to watch for is not just the incoming flood of electric vehicles, but also hybrids. Some are designed to sensibly offer the best of both worlds, while others aim for unheard-of levels of performance.

Beyond that, artificial intelligence looms, as do cars that drive themselves — and electric cars that will charge faster and go further. In a few decades, you might even be driving a car powered by hydrogen, the fuel of the stars and the sun.

For now, let’s keep things closer to earth with a selection of five cars coming to Australia that represent the pinnacle of automotive design, engineering and, of course, creativity.

Rolls-Royce Spectre

Meet the ultimate vision of modern automotive luxury: the Rolls-Royce Spectre.

The most powerful Rolls-Royce ever with 430kW of power and 900Nm of torque, the Spectre is also the first fully electric car to wear the Spirit of Ecstasy on its bonnet.

Aficionados might feel sad to see the trusty V12 engine superseded in such a way, yet electrification and luxury actually go hand-in-hand. Not even the mighty Rolls-Royce V12 can match the quietness, response and refinement of an electric motor.

Step inside the British-built Spectre (via its self-opening electric doors) and the luxury that awaits is truly unforgettable. Leather doesn’t come any softer than this, while at night, the Spectre’s interior offers the startling effect of being surrounded by stars. There are 4796 backlit perforations throughout the cabin, encompassing you in the middle of your own personal constellation.

Exclusivity is assured by the $770,000 sticker price — or more than a million dollars on the road. That’s before you tick a single options box. Which it would surely be rude not to.

Lamborghini Temerario

The legendary Italian sports car brand that gave us the gorgeous Miura in 1966 is racing into a hybrid future with the new Temerario.

Named after a fighting bull from the 1870s — as per Lamborghini’s long-running naming strategy — this fire-breathing supercar packs a twin-turbocharged V8 and triple electric motors. That means if you wave a red flag in front of this baby bull, you’ll need to jump out of the way quick-smart, given blistering 0-100km/h acceleration of just 2.7 seconds.

While the Temerario does signal the end of the much-loved V10, a small onboard battery turns this supercar into a plug-in hybrid. Up to 10km of silent, electric-only, emissions-free range is expected.

For all of its ferocious power, Lamborghini promises it’s made a more comfortable supercar. Inside, there’s plenty of fine hand-stitched leather, punctuated by a trio of digital screens displaying info such as revs (up to an eye-popping 10,000rpm) and navigation.

Pricing and timing for its local arrival are still to be confirmed, but the Temerario might require a couple of swipes of the platinum Amex when it gets here. Budget for around $400,000.

Bentley Continental GT

Bentley is a brand that bristles with heritage, but is also embracing the 21st century. Its bestselling Continental coupe is almost the Toyota Corolla of Beverly Hills, it’s so popular with celebrities. And the latest iteration arrives in Australia in 2025.

Bentley’s designers have boldly broken from styling tradition with a new headlight configuration, while the rear adopts styling similar to the spectacular Mulliner-designed Bentley Bacalar.

Inside there’s a blend of luxury and technology, including front seats with a new “Postural Adjust” system to make sure you’re not getting too relaxed. Easy to do.

Under the skin, the new Continental adopts a plug-in hybrid system and can drive in fully electric mode for up to 80km. The old W12 engine may have been banished, but Bentley downsizes only as far as a thunderous twin-turbocharged V8 engine shoving out a mighty 1000Nm of torque. That means this Bentley can push you back in your plush, quilted leather seat in a very impolite and un-British fashion indeed, while you keep calm and carry on to a top speed of 335km/h. Pricing is still to be confirmed.

Cupra Tavascan

If you’re after something edgier, or keen to follow a brand that’s setting trends for automotive design, look no further than Cupra, the Spanish-manufactured wild child of the Volkswagen Audi Group.

Cupra’s high-tech, all-electric Tavascan SUV is set to take on Elon Musk’s all-conquering Tesla Model Y, the world’s best-selling car in 2023. And it’s not doing it conservatively.

Inside, the Tavascan feels as if it just landed not from a different continent, but another planet. There’s some funky detailing, while the entire dashboard creatively converges into a single interior pillar between the passengers. Sitting proudly on the dash is a 15-inch central infotainment screen — one of the largest we’ve seen in any car.

Even by SUV standards there’s plenty of space, while electric versions will be offered with up to 250kW of power and an impressive 534km of range. Pricing is still to be confirmed, but expect this maverick to kick off around $70,000.

Porsche 911 Carrera GTS T-Hybrid

If the word “hybrid” conjures images of sensible city runabouts, it’s time to reconsider. Especially now it’s attached to the world’s most iconic sports car.

This new, paradigm-redefining version of the Porsche 911 is pretty special for a number of reasons.

This model lays out Porsche’s vision for the future of performance and luxury. As tradition dictates, there’s a feisty turbocharged six-cylinder engine in the back, but now it’s augmented by a high-performance electric motor and battery. Total system power comes in at 398kW — up a hearty 45kW on the old GTS model — while fuel use has decreased by, wait for it … 0.2L/100km.

The $381,200 buy-in includes an exterior redesign with a new shark-gilled front bumper. And, controversially, a fully digital instrument cluster that replaces the analogue rev-counter with a screen for the first time. It’s a bit like swapping your trusty IWC for an Apple watch — sacrilegious to some.

Still, that will probably be the last thing on our mind when we get the chance to drive it.

This is an extract from an article that appears in print in our thirteenth edition, Page 40 of Winning Magazine with the headline: “Driving forces”. Subscribe to Winning Magazine today.