ferrari 599 xx

Using Top Gear Maths, we've concluded that DRS makes your life exactly 93.5 per cent better*.

And thus, the new Ferrari 599XX with the Evolution package - that includes a mighty rear wing with a movable flap - makes you a better human being. It's a good thing Ferrari only allows you to operate said DRS on the 599XX Evo seven times a year, because your life would otherwise be spent slipstreaming supercars and gloating mercilessly to your peers. All day long.

Confused? The new Evo is, of course, part of Ferrari's XX programme; that series of set events at special race circuits across Europe where the lucky owners of the XX cars - 599XX, XX Evo and the Enzo-based Ferrari FXX - get to drive their cars and actually ‘work' for Ferrari.

The third round has just finished at Monza, in Italy, and owners were given five driving sessions, helped by a group of engineers and professional wheel warriors teaching them racing lines and the specific handling nuances of their million-pound machines.

Naturally, the ‘work' part comes in the post-race debrief, where Ferrari collate data to help develop its future model range. You had better hope those drivers are good...

Ferrari's XX programme will hit Silverstone on 14-16 September (more details here), so if you want to see the FXX and Evo powering around, there's your chance. Oh, and Ferrari will also be attempting to reclaim the Guinness World Record for the Largest Parade of Ferrari Cars at the same gathering. They're going for over 500 - so if you're a current owner here's your chance to enter the record books. For the rest of us, that's going to be a sight worth beholding...

Porsche 918 Spyder

To the uninitiated, the addition of a racing-style livery on the new Porsche 918 Spyder merely underlines the hybrid supercar's Nürburgring credentials. But those in the know will appreciate the subtle nod to Porsche's very own 917; a model once described as the greatest racing car in history, and one that took the Le Mans crown two years in a row.

Viewed as such, the addition of this livery is less a reflection of glory, more a trumpeting of intent: this car is serious on the business of performance.

But then we already knew that, because we've already had a shotgun ride in a very, very, very early prototype. Porsche has now released these lovely pictures of its upcoming halo model to let us know the first prototypes have been finished, and unlike the car we got to sit in, sports a body. A full carbon fibre reinforced plastic monocoque. That's good.

You should of course, know everything there is to know about the Porsche 918 Spyder, but if you need a quick recap, click here. It's got a 4.6-litre V8 that revs to 9,000rpm; its got two electric motors; it's a four-wheel-drive, 770hp green machine.

Oh, and about those Nürburgring credentials: Porsche reckons it will lap the terrifyingly green and terrifyingly terrifying circuit in 7m 22secs. That's ten whole seconds quicker than a Carrera GT. Reasonably fast, then.

Porsche Boxster S

Let's cut to the chase; new Boxster is very, very good. We've been testing the car across Germany for a couple of days and even on the worst backroads the Black Forest has to offer, and it manages to suck up bumps and deliver it's power in way that constantly impresses. It's incredibly grown-up, acting like a big car when it really shouldn't, flipping modes into a fun little roadster when it gets twistier. The suspension really is a bit of a wonder, and the engine in this S revving steplessly sweetly right up to the 7,800rpm - making for many happy faces in the cockpit. It stops on a short dime, using carbon brakes nicked direct from the new 911. Seriously, it'll uncrease your face when you really try. And driven properly you can pick up some serious pace. It's a very, very comforting car to go fast in. Sorry, kind of spoiled the ending there, but you get the idea: new Boxster is better than old Boxster, and old Boxster wasn't half bad.

It comes in two guises, straight Boxster with a 2.7, 265bhp and 207lb ft of torque, or as this S with a 3.4, 315bhp and 266lb ft. The basic format is the same; fabric roof, two-seat roadster with a mid-mounted flat-six and rear wheel drive. The standard transmission is a six-speed manual, with the optional PDK weighing in at £1,922. The roof operates in just 9 seconds, is one-touch, good-looking up or down and insulated up to its eyeballs, so it feel as good as a tin-top on the motorway or pootling around the countryside. The super light magnesium frame that forms the top section now acts as the ‘lid' when folded, so there's no separate covering section - saving a 12kgs of weight and visually lengthening the profile in the process; the back of the Boxster now looks a bit less... porky, roof down.

The styling is sharper, neater and not at all like a Toyota MR2 MkIII in the metal. There are new headlights, front end, side intakes and clipped rear end with a Carrera GT-ish ridgeline running through the rear lamps and around the bodywork, neatly hiding a pop-up rear spoiler. It's longer in the wheelbase, but with a shaved front overhang that stops it looking bigger, and there's a tautness to the design - especially in darker colours - that makes it look solid but deft. Wheels are big: standard Boxster comes with 18s, the S has 19s and there are even optional 20s (huge).

The body itself is made from a fairly conservative mix of steel and alloy, but the doors, bonnet and rear luggage compartment lid are all wrought from unalloyed aluminium. Despite more kit, the Boxster S actually weighs some 30kg less than the old version, even with the heavy PDK ‘box.

Ah yes. The PDK. The Boxster S we've been driving has absolutely every option on it.: PDK, PASM, PTV, PCCB, PSM, and Sport Chrono. Adjustable suspension, active engine mounts (previously only seen in the 911), torque-vectoring, intelligent traction control and stability. The PDK is brilliant but a little overwhelming - a great auto, fun when going fast, but a bit uninvolving when you want to really drive the little roadster. Similarly, the new electro-mechanical steering is pin-sharp, accurate and just a little numb. None of this stuff is bad as such, it just feels very mature, much more like you'd expect in a bigger car (like a 911, plucking a Thing From Nowhere). All of which makes for a measurably ‘better' car (more refinement, more efficiency), but just edges the Boxster up a class and away from simple roadster fun.

So it's brilliant, the new Boxster. Still best in class and massively satisfying. But there's a sneaking feeling that a 2.7 Boxster with the standard 6-speed manual might be the more intuitive - and immediately easier to fall for - car. I've just got to get my hands on one to let you know.

lamborghini aventador

I have seen fear, and it is orange. The keys are in it; the scissor door is open; the engine is thumping away happily in that slightly lo-fi, muted way that cars do when sat on new snow and... everyone is avoiding the Aventador. I've seen a couple of people approach it with eager eyes, look up and down the road, pause for a moment and back away. As if any sudden movement might provoke attack. Then again, if you were here on this -20 degree morning, a full-fat moon still hanging tubbily in the sky, you'd understand.

Access to our ice track is down some distance of hilly, snowy track that has apparently been chewed through by a plough with deliberately jagged edges, leaving bluish knives of ice at the fringes. The margin leaves only three inches of clearance either side of the 2.2-metre-wide LP700-4. Grip is on the low side of marginal, pedestrians adopting a kind of low-gravity shuffle, arms out and fingers spread, like bulky tightrope walkers, and even cars on studs require a little fizz of wheelspin when they pull away. You get the feeling that getting it wrong isn't so much a matter of time, but a matter of the severity of the inevitable. So most members of the Top Gear team are opting for something a little less expensive, obvious and... feral to begin the first morning of the first day. There has been an unseemly scuffle over the keys to the Range Rover. Thing is, someone has to drive the Lambo. We need to find out if four-wheel drive allows you to actually use a car like this in an environment extreme enough to hobble an elk. What - as they so ominously tend to say - could possibly go wrong?

Audi R8 V10 R-Tronic

Audi hasn't transformed the R8 by adding a pair of cylinders. Not like Porsche transforms the 911 by adding a pair of turbos anyway. No, the R8 V10 is basically an R8 V8 that's faster, a little grippier, and better equipped.

Which means it's the perfect everyday-use supercar. A Gallardo (with which the Audi shares an engine) is too noisy to be more than a special-occasions car. And if ‘everyday' includes the British winter, well you won't want to be getting by on 2WD.

The 525bhp engine has an astonishing spread of power, pulling hard from low in the rev range and getting pregressively and implausibly stronger all the way to an 8,700rpm red-line.

And the magical, predictable, transparent handling of the V8 car isn't messed up by the extra power. This is a car that always seems to be on your side.

The launch price looks high, but at least it doesn't need any extras. The R Tronic and the carbon-ceramic brakes are both a waste of money unless you want to do track days. And actually this isn't a track-day car.

Bentley Continental GTC SS ISR

Built to celebrate Kankkunen's world ice speed record, this Bentley Conti GTC Supersports ISR is not one for the shy and retiring. Even Bentley describes it as ‘dramatically extrovert'.

Red is the order of the day in the ISR, which is limited to 100 cars worldwide. There are red graphics down the flanks (you can delete these), red inserts in the bonnet vents, red weave in the carbon fibre on the dash. Even the Breitling clock has a red accent. Thankfully, the leather upgrades, like the soft-grip steering wheel and diamond-quilted Alcantara on the doors and seats, are not red. Good.

What's amazing about this car is that even though it's the most powerful Bentley ever - 631bhp and 590lb ft - this Supersports ISR version of the now superseded GTC (a heavily facelifted model was launched recently) still rides and drives with huge refinement. You'd never think it was on 20in wheels the way the car absorbs bumps.

But the ISR version doesn't alter any of these mechanical bits. So all you end up with is an over-the-top GTC Supersports - far better to save the £7,200 premium and just buy a normal version. Especially as the record it commemorates has since been broken.

Audi R8 V10 GT Spyder

This must be the ultimate Audi R8. Must be, as it wears the biggest price tag - a mighty 158,145 of your British pounds. So it stands to reason the R8 GT Spyder must be a hell of a car, a step up from the V8 and V10, a hardcore roadster to show the likes of the Merc SLS Roadster and Ferrari 458 Spider a thing or two.

The extra cash - £41,435 over and above the standard V10 Spyder - buys you 85kg less, if that makes sense. Audi has cut weight to 1,640kg, which is commendable, although you might be surprised at how the savings work out. The front splitter, rear spoiler and rear bumper together save 5.5kg. Add to that a thinner-skinned bonnet (minus 2.4kg), and you have the same 7.9kg saving as has been achieved by using thinner carpets inside. Yes, all that carbon and aluminium work adds up to the same as having a slightly balder sheep in the footwell. The only major weight-saving comes from the less comfortable - but 31kg lighter - fixed bucket seats.

The GT Spyder ensures you're aware of the weight reduction, thanks to the fact your eye cannot rest on anything that isn't carbon fibre. This is just as well, because aside from that and those moulded chairs, it's hard to tell you're not in a standard V10.

And, yes, that means that you don't really feel the extra 34bhp, liberated by a simple engine-management tweak. The V10 hurls itself down the road convincingly enough, but the smooth, rich, surprisingly relaxed character of the engine hasn't changed. Nor has the noise. The GT neither acts nor sounds like a fire-spitting savage, and part of us is a bit sorry about that.

So, a mild engine upgrade, no new exhaust, no new gearbox. The GT only comes with the R tronic sequential manual, and that's just not good enough when all around have instant-shifting double-clutchers. Full-throttle shifts have you lurching and are bad enough to force you to lift the throttle as you pull the paddle, just to smooth things out.

And aside from a 10mm drop and minor camber change, nothing's been done to the suspension, either. Which means the GT handles and drives the same as every other R8 model. In many ways, this is a good thing, because few mid-engined cars are as supple, balanced and friendly. The GT rides beautifully, has a little warning understeer, sweet steering and is a pleasurable car to drive. But so is a standard R8, and there's the rub...

The R8 GT Spyder isn't a hardcore roadster but a highly expensive trim upgrade, much like the difference between Sport and S line in Audi's lesser models. Yes, it comes with a load of standard kit, including superb ceramic brakes, and only 333 are being made, with just 66 destined for the UK. But, for our money, this is too high a price for the exclusivity.

Range Rover Evoque

Somewhere in an Austrian Alpine forest, a gravel track winds upwards. It's about one-in-five steep, and this afternoon a few inches of fresh snow have fallen. We're in an Evoque, and every so often there's a blink from the traction-control light, but our progress up the mountain remains steadfast. So far, so Range Rover.

But this is a bit different, because only the front wheels are connected to the engine. This is the new 2WD economy Evoque: simpler, lighter, more economical. But very nearly as good.

There are now three versions of this 2.2-litre diesel engine. The eD4 is the 2WD, with manual transmission only, and it makes 150bhp. The TD4 is also 150bhp, for 4WD, and gets a little more mid-range torque. Then there's the 190bhp SD4, which is the one we've driven in our previous Evoque diesel stories.

At low-to-medium speeds, the eD4 feels pretty well as sprightly as the 190 4WD auto. I'm confident of this judgement by the way, because I jumped straight out of one into the other. After all, the lower-powered car is usefully the lighter. By shedding drive to the rear, it does without a front take-off from the gearbox, a propshaft, a rear diff and rear halfshafts, plus one or two other bits. That takes the weight drop to 75kg. It's only above 60mph, for motorway hills and main-road overtaking, when power starts to be needed to overcome aero drag, that the SD4's extra kick shows up. Sadly the eD4 is a bit of a slug in those situations.

It's still a lot of automotive desirability for a small amount of company-car tax. With the efficiencies of a manual gearbox, idle-stop and lighter weight, the three-door Evoque eD4 gets in a 129g/km. Now just look at the design, and cast your eyes around the interior. Even in basic Pure spec (£27,955 for the five-door, another grand for the Coupe), it's hardly spartan.

OK, what else do you lose along with the drive to the back wheels? Well, the handling is still mighty impressive and controlled, and the ride still supple. But it denies you the option of MagneRide damping, which means it's both a little foggier in bends and a little less plush on straights compared with the 4WD with that option.

Ah, well, if you aren't spending on mechanical goodies, that gives you more in hand for trim and entertainment add-ons. I suspect that given the 2WD looks the same and drives largely the same - in the suburbs at least - as the 4WD one, means it's very well targeted for most people's needs 50 weeks of the year. And, as I've just found out, if it's wearing winter tyres, it'll likely get them up to the ski village for the final two weeks.

Audi A4

At the risk of undermining the very principle of a car review and sending this magazine into a self-consuming spiral, is it possible for a car to be too competent?

Case in point: the superfrugal, eco-tastic new Audi A4 2.0 TDI. If you're after an efficient, premium, mid-size saloon, we can offer few reasons not to buy this entry-level diesel. But, at the same time, we'd sort of prefer it if you didn't. Not because we hate the polar bears and wish to see their natural habitat destroyed (though Frozen Planet's depiction of the fluffy white gimmers as evil seal-murdering bastards has damped our ice-cap-saving instincts) but because, like a goody-two-shoes teacher's pet, the A4 is so irritatingly correct.

For starters, it's so frugal that, with careful driving, filling the tank once should last you until old age. The A4 officially returns 112g/km of CO2 and a freakish 66mpg: until the new 109g/km 320ED arrives in February, that, at least, gives Audi something to boast about.

It doesn't feel like a wheezy asthmatic, either. The diesel is strong and broad, easily capable of hauling the A4's bulk, and smooth with it. If we're nitpicking, the A4 - though a sight better than older Audis - still doesn't ride with a Jaguar's lightness of touch, nor offer the fingertip engagement of that pesky BMW. Most will see the Audi's class-leading, gadget-laden interior and fine motorway refinement as a fair trade-off for a few microns of dynamism.

But the A4 is so coldly, rationally competent in just about every department that it's in danger of turning Audi into the Toyota of the exec sector: a purveyor of cars as white goods: objectively excellent, emotionally cold. OK, so the A4 would be a brushed-steel fridge-freezer not an off-white washing machine, but, even so, it's a machine bigger on function than fun.

Clearly, the diesel A4 will sell in droves, proving that, no, it is not possible to be too competent, and that we are being unreasonable: a shortage of drama is a damning fault in a supercar, but in a diesel schlepper it's probably a bonus. But we never claimed this reviewing process was reasonable or selfless. To keep our roads vibrant and diverse, we'd love you to buy a Chrysler 300C, an Alfa 159 or even a Suzuki Kizashi, inferior though they are. We'll understand if you don't.

2006 BMW Sports Cars

BMW or Bayerische Motoren Werke has long been conceived all over the world as "The Ultimate Driving Machine." The company has proven this statement true in the past years.

The current models of BMW sports car will attest to that statement.

Here are some of the current models of BMW, with their corresponding characteristics.

                                                                -BMW M3 2006

Engine specifications:

BMW M3 has an in-line, 3.2 liter capacity engine with a compression ratio of 11.5. It has four valves per cylinder. It promises to deliver 248 KW power and 333 HP at 7900 rpm (SAE).

Brake Features:

The car has electronic brake distribution, brake assist system, four disk brakes with ventilated disks, cornering brake control, and four-wheel ABS.

Handling Features:

BMW M3 is equipped with stability control, immobilizer and limited slip differentia at the rear. The ABS and engine management control the electronic traction.

Aerodynamics Exterior features:

The car has 0.35 drag coefficient, body side moldings, and 3771 lbs. curb weight.

                                                                 -BMW M5 2006

Engine specifications:

The BMW M5 2006 car has a V10, and 3.2 liter capacity engine with a compression ratio of 12.  It has four valves per cylinder. It promises to deliver 373 KW power and 500 HP at 7750 rpm (SAE).

Brake Features:

The car has brake assist system, four disk brakes with ventilated disks, electronic brake distribution, cornering brake control, and four-wheel ABS.

Handling Features:

The BMW M5 is equipped with stability control, immobilizer and limited slip differentia at the rear. The ABS and engine management control the electronic traction. It is also equipped with a responsive suspension.

Aerodynamics Exterior features:

The car has 0.31 drag coefficient and 4012 lbs. curb weight.

                                                                 -BMW 6-Series

Engine specifications:

The BMW M5 2006 has a V8, 4.8 liter capacity engine with a compression ratio of 10.5. It has four valves per cylinder. It promises to deliver 268 KW power and 360 HP at 6300 rpm (SAE).

Brake Features

The car has electronic brake distribution, brake assist system, four disk brakes with ventilated disks, cornering brake control, and four-wheel ABS.

Handling Features:

BMW M3 car is equipped with stability control, immobilizer and limited slip differentia at the rear. The ABS and engine management control the electronic traction. It is also equipped with an adjustable responsive suspension.

Aerodynamics Exterior features:

The car has 0.3 drag coefficient, and 3814 lbs. curb weight.

With all the features these cars have, BMW truly is the "Ultimate Driving Machine."

Sports Car Brands

There are many top of the line sports cars in the car market that are available in different price ranges. The prices range from $20,000 for a compact car up to the $1,250,000 price of the Bugatti Veyron that can perform as a luxury car or for racing as well.

Since the sports car was introduced in the world of automobiles, the sports car has become one of the best sellers of every car manufacturer that produces any version of its kind. The sports car is still the hottest seller and one that many car enthusiasts want to own. The desirable appearance and extravagance it portrays makes every sports car stunning in the eyes of any driver. Here are some models that are ‘top of the line’ in the category of sports cars:

1. The Aston Martin DB9 Volante has features similar to the Jaguar, especially their external appearance. There are some similarities between the cars but the DB9 is more classical and the Jaguar XKR can be more handsome if you look at the details very closely. The DB9 comes with a 6-liter and 450-hp V12 engine that can satisfy every driver’s need for speed.

2. The Chevrolet Corvette Convertible is capable of reaching 400-hp with smooth steering wheels and track-ready handling. It is affordable with its price of $50,000. The pricing is low compared to other sports cars that have similar features and performance. The current release of the Corvette is still the fastest in its class and to previous Corvettes that were released.

3. The Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Roadster comes with a power ignition hardtop, which is a modification from the previous SL design. It is probably the most extravagant aspect on the design. However, the most awesome feature in this car is its mechanical features that come with a V12 engine and produces 604-hp. The car can blast you away in a glimpse because of its speed.

4. The Jaguar XKR Convertible is a ‘looker’ with its external appearance. Its awesome look does not end there. The mechanical features resemble the other great features of the car. Compared to other versions of the Jaguar, the XKR is highly tuned and has a 390-hp V8 engine that generates the great performance of the sports car.

There are far more sports cars that can be categorized as ‘top of the line’ in their class and in their price categories. Other sports cars that can be classified as super exotic cars include the Ferrari F430, Porsche Carrera GT, Cadillac XLR Star Black Limited, BMW 645Cic, and the Lexus SC 430.

cars Convertible Incredible

What can be more appealing than driving a convertible? Convertible sports cars, with their sleek and sophisticated looks, are much in demand in the market. For someone who is hoping to snag his own top-down, here are some of the models he needs to consider:

                                                                     2005 BMW Z4

Sure, this baby is expensive - hey, it's a BMW - but its dynamics and features pretty much explain the price. This German sports car makes a statement as it speedily cruises along the highway.

                                                                        2005 Audi TT

High-performance, power-engined and invigorating, the 2005 Audi TT always garners an excellent rating in car reviews. With its awesome windscreen, roll hoops and headlamps, the driver cannot go wrong with this one.

                                                                2005 Chevrolet Corvette

Over time, Chevrolet Corvette has proven itself with its remarkable power. Now in its sixth generation, the 2005 Chevrolet Corvette is smaller than its older counterparts, but better. With a horsepower of 400, it can go from zero to 60 mph per hour in four seconds. Unbelievable! This makes the Corvette a staple in any summer.

                                                                  2005 Lexus SC 430

The Lexus SC 430 is inspired by, no less than, the French Riviera. This car can go from coupe to a raging roadster in a span of 25 seconds. It is stylish, glamorous and powerful.

                                                                     2005 Mazda Miata

This model is pretty affordable for its look and power. This is very dependable and dynamic and it will knock the driver ‘off his feet’. With its reactive suspension and immense horsepower, this convertible sports car is one for the books.

                                                            2005 Volkswagen New Beetle

Charming and cute like any other Beetle, this monster-engined convertible promises an adventurous ride on those lazy summer afternoons.

                                                                Jaguar XK8 Convertible

Great design, awesome interior, and technologically-advanced, this convertible can bring out the best in every driver. Its speed can go up to 155 mph per hour and the acceleration? Zerp - 60 mph in just 6.7 seconds. Now that's truly incredible!

                                                                   2006 Cadillac XLR

This is a top-of-the-line convertible sports car, which promises "capacity like no other." It is almost $78,000 but who cares? This is probably the best in the market now.

                                                         2005 Chrysler Crossfire Roadster

Test drive this car and see that it is more amazing than its previous version.

All these convertible sports cars are undeniably worth the money and the effort to maintain them.