The unofficial rule of the countryside is that if you’re bombing around in anything that looks remotely like a brutalist building, then you’re probably a farmer. No sweeping rooflines or curvaceous windscreens, to be part of the club it’s strictly straight lines and subpar aerodynamics. Watching the Ineos Quartermaster’s angular visage appear above the hedgerow amongst Dorset's rolling hills, it looks at home.

Gone are the days when double-cab pickups qualified as vans for UK tax purposes. Even before the change, the Quartermaster never fell into that category since it can’t carry more than 835kg in the petrol version or 760kg in the diesel. Compare that to the farmer’s true friend, the Toyota Hilux, which can lug around 1,065kg for £20k less than the Ineos, and questions start to arise on the newcomer’s legitimacy.

The Quartermaster undeniably looks the part, but at a starting price of £63,495 the truck bed will likely see nothing more egregious than some muddy boots, wet dogs and anything that would otherwise leave a lingering scent, stain or scratch in the cab. Think of it more in terms of private school pickups in the shires, rather than a tradie and his pickup for hire.

Inside, the cabin takes heavy inspiration from aviation, like its sister model, the Grenadier. Even the passenger airbag light looks like the seatbelt warning sign in a plane. Tactile buttons line the upright dash and spill over onto the ceiling where you can select all manner of off-road performance-enhancing modes.

The small semblance of a driver’s display is a faceless rectangle that houses warning lights and indicators. It’s refreshing to find yourself not sitting in front of yet another screen while driving. Of course, important information like speed and fuel are still visible, just on the right-hand side of the central display (which can be used as a touchscreen or controlled with a rotary dial).

Enjoyably, nestled under the rear seats is a reggaeton-shaming subwoofer, contributing to one of the crispest and loudest sound systems you can find in any pickup. Two pop-up safari-style sunroofs and Popemobile-esque glass all around fill the cabin with light but despite this it still feels quite tight and a bit van-like.

Somehow, despite the interior featuring gorgeous supple leather and well executed technology, alongside plenty of hard plastics and water-resistant features, it neither feels luxurious enough to rival a Range Rover, nor robust enough to live forever like an old Land Rover.

For 2026, the Quartermaster has been updated in line with its SUV-styled station wagon sibling. The most notable improvement is significantly better steering feel and a turning circle that has been cut by a metre . Don’t be fooled though, it still possesses the agility of a 12-tonne truck and any tight situation normally handled with a swift three-point turn will result in no-less than seven shunts backwards and forwards, plus or minus expletives.

Wider and taller than a Defender, old or new, the Quartermaster is the antithesis of what you want on narrow country lanes. It certainly has a commanding presence; just as you’re always forced to give way and reverse at the sight of a tractor trundling towards you on a single-track road, the Quartermaster serves as an automatic stop-and-reverse sign to those coming the opposite direction. Might is right.

Rightly or wrongly, such a vehicle is always going to be something that justifies itself on want alone. The absurdity of the Quartermaster’s 5.4m length has you pouring out of any parking space you manage to squeeze into. Throw in the towering 2m+ plus height, lifted stance and old school Defender-thieved silhouette, and it often ends up looking more parody than pedigree.

A cynic might say that the Quartermaster is not a “Built Tough” Ranger or an unbreakable Hilux; it's a Cheshire-spec Chelsea tractor for cosplaying farmers. That downplays its very real off-road ability however. It probably fares much better in the US, where space is unlimited and code-switching via your choice of truck is a national pastime.

A week stomping about the south coast in what could easily pass for the hero car in a Jurassic Park sequel, and the conclusion is this: much like an actor, the Quartermaster can play a pickup. It can't haul or manoeuvre quite like a farm-hardened Hilux, its size and steering make it too clumsy for work on the yard and it’s far too precious for tools on the back seat.

Nevertheless, the Quartermaster still larks about the countryside like it owns the place, content as a chariot for daily dog walks, trips to the beach with bikes in the back or just the morning coffee run. However you use it, you're definitely playing a part.

Ineos Quartermaster, from £63,495, IneosGrenadier.com, @Ineos_Grenadier

Düsseldorf’s Caravan Salon is one of the RV industry’s biggest trade shows, a chance for innovation to shine in a sector driven by aspiration, technology and the romance of the unencumbered road trip. This year, there were some clear universal trends.

Off roading was the order of the day, with several key players offering up spacious campers on heavy-duty 4x4 chassis, while new materials and new form factors also got a look in. Here are nine of our favourite new homes from home revealed at the 2026 show.

Reisemobile ATventure 1070

We start with road-going titan, the ATventure 1070 by German manufacturer Reisemobile. Based on the Mercedes-Benz Actros HGV platform, the 1070 is the largest of Reisemobile’s three ATventure models, measuring in at a mighty 10.7m long by 2.5m. All of this onboard space is dedicated to luxury for two, rather than rugged overland capabilities for a large family.

A slider expands the kitchen/dining area in the centre of the truck, while the mid-section is taken up by a spa-like bathroom, with the double bedroom at the rear. Uniquely, this is also the location of a staircase to the upper deck, a lightweight demountable structure that adds a private terrace on the roof.

ATventure-Reisemobile.de, @ATventure_Reisemobile

Dethleffs c.core concept

This VW Crafter-based concept camper was created by German manufacturer Dethleffs as an experimental platform for future material and feature research. For a start, the camper body is made of a new lightweight material called Necto, derived from bonded aluminium sheets for stability and strength and excellent insulation values. It’s also flexible, allowing the c.core to be slightly more aerodynamic than the usual brick-shaped RV.

Flush windows and doors give the c.core a stealthy, futuristic feel, while the internal skylights come from the marine industry. Not only is the aluminium light but it also vastly improves the camper’s total recyclability, as does the use of recycled PET (polyethylene terephthalate). An expandable photovoltaic array on the roof helps top up the battery and doubles up as an awning. Other innovations include a pressurized water filtration system.

Inside, the c.core offers a restrained, tasteful palette – not always a given in this industry – and a flexibly arranged lounge to maximise space both at camp and on the move. Space saving features like an ultra-short-throw projector, sliding kitchen worktop and in-built outdoor kitchen also add to the mix of function and practicality. The c.core also includes fixed two berth bunk at the rear with a shower room opposite the kitchen.

Dethleffs.de, @Dethleffs_official

Beauer X6

French caravan manufacturer Beauer specialises in sliding mechanisms that double or treble available floor space once camp has been struck. Their newest model, the X6, was shown in prototype form at Düsseldorf. Unlike the familiar X3, with its circular, shell-like form, the X6 is a more conventionally boxy caravan, with a single slider that effectively doubles the space to create a 3.6m wide camping space.

The main module houses the kitchen, living room and bathroom, complete slide-out terrace and awning. Around the back, the lightweight sliding module, provides generous space for a double bed and a pair of bunks. The company also showed its new double slider X8 model at Düsseldorf.

Beauer X6, from €74,990, Beauer.fr, @Beauerx

Bürstner Habiton 6.1

The new Habiton 6.1 from Bürstner is a two- or four-person camper based on the tried and tested Mercedes-Benz Sprinter platform. Designed for go-anywhere self-sufficiency, the raised 4x4 chassis has impressive off-road capabilities, whilst interior space is subtly improved by the expanded side pod that gives you space for your feet in the transversely positioned bed.

In addition, the mattress in the pop-up is heated for cold winter nights, while an optional large capacity battery helps expand the 6.1’s off-grid endurance.

Bürstner Habiton 6.1, €78,999, Buerstner.com, @Buerstner

VW California Beach inflatables and ID. California Cruise

Think camper and most uninitiated folk think Volkswagen. The company continues to bolster its reputation as a supplier of well thought out, premium small campers with two world premieres at Caravan Salon 2026. The first is a conceptual furniture set for the new California Beach. Developed in collaboration with camping inflatables specialists Stuff Bubble, the Beach was shown with two modular interior concepts, an inflatable kitchen and bed system.

Both components mark a new direction in camper interiors, away from rigid fixed structures and towards a more flexible architecture inspired by contemporary inflatable tent design. Not only do they allow the California Beach to be used as a regular vehicle most of the time, the modules take just minutes to install and cut down on excessive weigh – the kitchen comes in at 10kg, the double bed just 12kg.

The inflatable ideas were joined by a long-awaited member of the California family, the all-electric ID. California Cruise. Based on the well-established ID. Buzz, it’s the first in a series of EV campervans that’ll be introduced by VW’s commercial arm from 2027 onwards.

Volkswagen-nutzfahrzeuge.de, StuffBubble.com, @StuffBubble_original

Norantz IPAR 4

Mining a similar seam to the Habiton 6.1, Norantz’s IPAR 4 is a go-anywhere machine that uses either a Mercedes or MAN chassis to deliver a robust off-roader. The 4-berth model includes a fixed roof extender and the IPAR is also available as the 2+2 pop-up and the pop-up-less IPAR 2. There’s a welcome on quality fixtures and fittings, plenty of storage and extras like a snorkel exhaust for fording rivers.

Norantz.com, @Norantz

Westfalia Columbus Liner

The Fiat-based Columbus Liner from industry stalwart Westfalia has one unique trip up its sleeve. Available with 2-4 berths, the 6.36m camper includes a permanent King size bed in the rear, a convertible double in the front and an optional SkyLounge pop-up, complete with terrace and, should you so desire, espresso machine.

Westfalia Columbus Liner, from €83,900, Westfalia-mobil.com, @Westfalia.fr

Rapido V64

Another compact motorhome that manages to squeeze more space out of a Ducato, the V64 from Rapido incorporates a fixed central rear bed and WC/shower unit, with a single berth space up front in the cab. A clever sliding mechanism stashes the dining table within the kitchen units when not in use and the seating area is positioned alongside the sliding door for al fresco dining.

Rapido-Motorhome.co.uk, @Rapido.campingcar

Adria Supertwin 4x4

Finally, another rugged machine that blends campervan scale with explorer truck ability. The Supertwin 4x4 is the most advanced variant of Adria’s Mercedes-based camper, also available without the raised ride height and additional pop-up sleeping area. A large front skylight brings daylight into the interior, while timber veneer trim options create a warm and welcoming ambience.

Adria Supertwin 4x4 600, from €128,299, De.Adria-Mobil.com, @AdriaMobil

A new high-end ‘gateway’ to London has just opened – but you’ll need to be arriving by private jet to use it. Flexjet, the leading luxury private aviation provider, has unveiled its new dedicated terminal at Farnborough airport in Surrey that sets a fresh benchmark for the company’s infrastructure design – and is all set to soothe, support and pleasantly surprise its well-heeled clientele.

Two years in the making, the two-storey, 2,098 sq m terminal offers not only hospitality, relaxation, working and meeting space exclusively for Flexjet ‘owners’, as members of its fractional ownership scheme are known; it also hosts a finishing school for cabin crew; doubles as an event space; and houses Flexjet’s European HQ on the upper floor.

It’s what Flexject CEO Mike Silvestro calls a ‘blueprint terminal’ that sees the company ‘jumping ahead in terms of hospitality’ as it aims to offer the highest quality guest experience.

‘This opening establishes one of the most significant branded luxury environments in private aviation and is a defining moment in Flexjet’s global expansion,’ says Flexjet chairman Kenn Ricci.

The interiors, by Canada-based Carver Hain Art + Design, are inspired by ‘what you see from the sky’, says practice co-director Tracy Hain, referring to the space’s rich textures and warm hues – the latter also tying in with those of Flexjet’s visual identity. ‘I didn’t want it to feel like an airport lounge,’ adds Hain, who previously designed the interiors of Flexjet’s Mayfair office. Here, she has created what the company refers to as a ‘home from home’ for its owners.

There’s topographical carpeting, and softly tactile seating in buttery leather and earthy-toned or rich blue textiles, the fabrics largely from Casamance. Forms are rounded; lighting, including decorative designs by Bert Frank, as well as Cassina and Artemide, is soft throughout; and curved walls and columns are skirted in an embossed liquid metal bronze.

Commissioned artworks comprise a sculpture by British-Canadian artist David Spriggs – a cloud-like whirl, formed of layered acrylic panels and inspired by the vortices that form beneath a plane’s wingtips – and a wood-veneer marquetry work by London-based Olly Fathers in the meeting space.

The latter room, ‘my favourite space’, notes Hain, envisioned not just for meetings but also events, is comfortably cocooning, with wall-to-wall carpeting, fabric wall coverings, an inviting sofa as well as the formal table seating – and all the connectivity you’d expect. It’s set beneath a ‘liquid effect’ painted ceiling achieved through what Hain describes as ‘a rather arduous process requiring many layers, almost like lacquer’.

The oval bar, a centrepiece of the main space and a natural gathering spot, serves a light menu of Viennoiserie, breakfast and lunch bowls, and cheese and charcuterie.

‘I wanted to evoke a club,’ says Hain of the whole space, ‘somewhere you want to spend time, have a martini at the bar.’

The true party piece? The Fuselage Lounge, which recreates the cabin interior of a Gulfstream G700 jet, at actual size. Fitted out with precision by Hain, it’s complete with a master bedroom. Not just a cute space to work, relax or meet for Flexjet owners, it will also be used for sales and marketing, and is the perfect practice area in which staff attending the training academy can hone their skills.

A galley module can even be rolled out and slotted onto the end of the lounge to facilitate this – an example of the whole hub’s embrace of functionality as well as flair.

The training academy space itself – populated by a series of galley modules – can be open to the rest of the ground floor during events, for example, or curtained off from the lounge space when privacy is required.

The new private terminal is Flexjet’s first in Europe and Silvestro describes it as a ‘gateway to Europe’ for the brand. The US-headquartered company already has nine other terminals either built or being developed Stateside, and an infrastructure presence of some kind in 25 locations globally.

Those using the Farnborough terminal can take advantage of helicopter transfers in and out of London, should they wish (we did the ’copter commute from Battersea to attend the Farnborough terminal launch and it took just 20 minutes, less on the way back). He also notes that owners might simply fly into Farnborough, hold their meeting within the hospitality-focused terminal, and fly out again.

Asked how Flexjet owners and their expectations have changed over the last few years, Silvestro says they are getting younger, buying larger and flying longer distances. ‘The average age has dropped ten years,’ he says.

The company gives that average as around the low-fifties, noting that it is seeing increasing numbers of owners in their forties. Now, at 45, adds Silvestro, if they have the money, rather than starting with smaller planes and working their way up, ‘they are buying straight into big planes, and travelling further. The world is smaller.’

There should be no shortage of takers, then, for Flexjet’s new hub for high flyers.

Flexjet.com, @Flexjetllc

There’s an elusive sweet spot in the midst good design, admirable function and inoffensive pricing, and the Romanian car brand Dacia wants to be right in the heart of it. Over the past two decades, with close collaboration from Renault, Dacia has built itself a rock-solid reputation as a no-nonsense bargain brand.

Models like the ultra-compact Spring city car, no-frills Sandero, seven-seater Jogger, and the perennial favourite Duster crossover have all brought a robust and spirited functionalism to the market. Upcoming models include the more premium mid-size Striker, while last year’s self-consciously cute Hipster Concept showed there’s also scope for the brand to downscale further.

Announced in 2024, the Dacia Bigster is the company’s first push into the ‘proper; SUV market. Available in two flavours of hybrid, the Bigster is one of the most literal car names you’ll find. Measuring 4.57m long, 1.81m wide and 1.71m high, the Bigster is a strict five-seater (Dacia’s seven-seat option remains the Jogger) with chunky, almost Tonka-toy like styling.

It’s big, but not vast (certainly not in the realm of American XXXL SUVs) and therefore avoids all the pitfalls of navigating such a car betwixt town and country – you won’t be hated in the former and narrow country lanes aren’t too much of a trial.

We spent a week with the Bigster, during which time Dacia’s attention to detail really stood out, as did the car’s abilities and interior features. Not all Bigster’s have four-wheel-drive, but the high ride height and dedicated terrain modes make these variants pretty handy off the beaten track. This is always nice to have and in the Bigster’s case, it’s functionality that follows form, emphasising that the black plastic clad wheel arches and business-like bumpers aren’t just for show.

In fact, inside and out there is a pretty heavy concentration of black plastic. Dacia is one of the few car companies who commit to the bit and make a virtue of the cheap and durable material, refused to dress it up with soft touch surfaces or unnecessary trim. What you see is what you get, a rare honesty that really shines through.

The interior layout is also impressive. Yes, there’s a central touch screen display but it doesn’t dominate the dashboard and it’s accompanied by physical buttons for the heating controls. There’s also a built-in smartphone dock, made slightly redundant by the inclusion of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The digital dash is clear with consistent graphics, backed up by physical buttons – not haptic switches – on the steering wheel.

So far, so good. You also get regular air vents that can be moved by hand, not given over to servo motors buried deep in the dash and accessible only via the screen. It’s all very much on brand for a company that makes a virtue of building ‘cars for real life’.

Usually, real life means getting from A to B without fussing too much over things like dynamic abilities and other performance metrics. It's absolutely not a criticism of the Bigster to say that it's a fairly forgettable thing to drive, with great ride and economy on the positive side. It simply works.

Inevitably, the innate value of such simplicity has become a form of signifier just like any other brand. Dacia is the Uniqlo of carmakers, starting off as a welcome distraction from excessive label-consciousness but eventually circling round into an identifiable brand all of its own.

It should be pointed out that this pathway only works when the product truly does its job. Just as the Duster has become shorthand for canny, tasteful, inconspicuous consumption, the Bigster looks set to follow suit.

The interior volume is flexible and generous, while another brand differentiator – practical thinking – is in evidence throughout, from clips and storage compartments to modular roof bars, and quirky features like a second room armrest that transforms into a backpack.

Dacia is also on trend with its optional Sleep Pack system, which gives the Bigster a leg-up in the burgeoning world of car camping. Accessories include a rear bed system for the load deck and an awning. All this and more makes the Bigster one of the friendlier, more accessible and acceptable iterations of modern SUV culture. Look after it well, and it’s the kind of car that only gets better with age, as time and experience add a little patina to the palette while the basic functionality remains undimmed.

Dacia Bigster, from £25,215, Dacia.co.uk, @Dacia_UK

Lego House has launched a Ready, Set, Build experience to encourage Formula 1 fans to visit the company’s iconic headquarters in Denmark. The new activity will inspire families and children of all ages to design and test their own Lego race cars, then put them through their paces in a series of interactive challenges.

It's not just about building a car either. Visitors to Billund become the engineers, experimenting with aerodynamics, speed and performance. They also take on pit-stop style build challenges, with giant F1-themed installations throughout the Lego House, all part of an ongoing partnership with the sport that has activations at the Miami Grand Prix and elsewhere.

Known as the ‘Home of the Brick’, the Bjarke Ingels-designed Lego House has become a bucket list destination for build enthusiasts. Filled with more than 25 million bricks, the Jutland attraction – a 90-minute flight from Heathrow - is the ultimate hands-on day out.

Lego’s automotive history now dates back decades. The company first offered model vehicles made of plastic or metal in 1953, long before the DIY modern brick system existed. Models of real world cars and trucks like the Volkswagen Beetle and Ferguson tractor thrilled children, until Lego designers finally reinvented the wheel.

The arrival of the Lego wheel in the early Sixties saw rubber ‘tyres’ mounted on plastic wheels, with a metal axle that could be plugged into a specific brick. Set 400 launched in 1962 and marked a massive evolution in model building, allowing children to create their own wheeled vehicles for the first time. Since then, Lego cars have become some of the brand’s most popular sets.

From the Batmobile to the James Bond Aston Martin DB5, The Back to the Future DeLorean to the Lamborghini Countach, there's a Lego kit for every four-wheeled eventuality. Today, the detail on modern Lego Technic sets – the most advanced line of building kits – is staggering. The 3,599-piece Bugatti Chiron featured a modelled W12 engine with moving pistons and originally cost around £450, rather more than my first road car.

If that’s beyond your skillset or budget, the Red Zone at Lego House is a vibrant play area where enthusiasts can let their imagination run wild. Beside a giant, cascading waterfall built from 2 million bricks, I set about creating a replica of the Porsche 911 Targa that brought me to Billund.

With a huge smorgasbord of colourful bricks at every turn, Lego fans from around the world are here designing their own unique creations. However, built in an era when Lego consisted of simple bricks and not much else, I’m helped by a master builder who could probably knock up a Porsche with his eyes shut.

Surrounded by intimidating Lego masterpieces, including life-size dinosaurs, planes, trains and automobiles, my modest motor looks a rather feeble effort. Other Porsche 911s kits are available off the shelf but at least none are quite like this – one that includes a matching ‘mini me’ figure.

Lego House so proud of its Danish roots that a special edition ‘I Love Billund’ miniature of the building is now available exclusively at the venue. The 1,404-piece set costs £88.

Lego House spokesman, Soren Bering Andersen, said: ‘We wanted to capture not just the landmarks but the feeling of what the town means to us. Billund is at the heart of our story. It’s where Lego play began and where it keeps evolving. This place reflects how a small Danish town grew into the global home of play and creativity.’

For opening hours, tickets, and more information, visit LegoHouse.comPorsche 911 Lego, set 10295, £149.99, Lego.com

Aston Martin’s foray into high-powered two-wheeled machines has been rumbling on for many years. A partnership with Brough Superior was first announced way back in 2019 with the track-only AMB 001, followed by the AMB 001 Pro superbike in 2022. Along the way, the motorbike has also manifested into a collaboration with Richard Mille, but at no point have the fruits of the partnership with the heritage biking brand resulted in a road-legal product.

All that is now set to change. This is the new AMB 002 Roadster, a road-ready iteration of the original superbike that’ll be produced in an edition of 300 units from 2027. The AMB 002 Roadster isn’t simply an adapted AMB 001 but an all-new machine, designed and developed in close collaboration with the Aston Martin Design Studio.

A sport-focused superbike with a pared-back, lightweight form, extensive use of carbon fibre and, naturally, plenty of power. The AMB 002 Roadster will be powered by a water-cooled V-Twin putting out 130bhp, which is tuned for dynamic but usable power delivery to make the most of winding, far-flung roads.

Just as Aston Martin’s definition of automotive beauty has evolved since 2019, so has form language of its two-wheeled collaboration. This is still a sleek machine, no doubt about that, but the AMB 002 is more insectoid and animalistic than the original, swapping out organic, biophilic forms for a ripple of gill-like air vents on each flank and a seat that tapers upwards like a scorpion’s tail. Even the stalk-like wing mirrors feel alive.

Such complexities are complemented with the usual raft of craft, from the glossy carbon fibre surfaces to the hand-stitched saddle leather seats. ‘It was always a long-term dream to make an Aston Martin motorcycle for the road,’ says Marek Reichman, Aston’s executive vice president and chief creative officer. ‘The AMB 002 combines the bold design aesthetic and pioneering engineering innovation which define Aston Martin and Brough Superior’s work to date. It’s a vivid expression of our shared passion for sculptural, visceral, covetable machines.’

Henriette describes the motorcycle as ‘truly one of a kind, both in its design and in the riding experience it delivers’. ‘The AMB 002 is every bit as striking dynamically as it is visually, a razor-sharp roadster that offers exhilarating sensations, creating the impression of becoming one with a lightweight, precise blade, propelled by our all-new, even more powerful engine.’

The new motorcycle will be machined and built at Brough Superior’s HQ in Toulouse, France, where a full array of high-grade CNC machinery is on hand to transform materials like aluminium and titanium into ultra-strong, high-grade components. In particular, the bike’s titanium structural frame demonstrates the benefits of having skilled design and manufacture on site. This crucial component weighs in at the just 5kg, a small fraction of the bike’s total 190kg mass.

Brough Superior can trace its origins back to 1919 and is famed for being TE Lawrence’s motorcycle manufacturer of choice. The company was reborn in the 2010s under the leadership of French enthusiast Thierry Henriette. Orders are now being taken for this limited-edition machine with first deliveries expected in Q3 2027.

AstonMartin.com, @AstonMartin, Brough-Superior-Motorcycles.com, @BroughSuperiorMotorcyles

The long-awaited return of one of Audi’s most celebrated modern model names has been expected for a while. The contemporary A2 isn’t quite the same kind of design revival as a Renault 4 or 5, but traces of the original car’s form are certainly in evidence, not to mention its spirit.

The new Audi A2 is an e-tron, a pure electric car. The headline figure is that it offers a WLTP range of up to 646km (a shade over 401 miles) from the top of the line 84 kWh battery (smaller, cheaper 52 and 61 kWh variants are available).

Audi is citing this as the most efficient model in its history, with an energy consumption of 12.8 kWh/100 km (which converts into a UK-specific Miles per Kilowatt-hour 4.85 mi/kWh – anything over 4.5 is not uncommon but still impressive).

That frugality is all the more fitting given the history of the A2. The original debuted in 1999, following on from the 1997 Audi Al2 concept. A compact, upright hatchback, the A2 combined ultra-light (and expensive) all-aluminium construction with finely honed aerodynamics and a range of efficient combustion engines, including a 1.2l turbo-diesel that could get record-breaking mileage (around 140mpg). It was also beautifully detailed inside and out.

Sadly, it didn’t achieve the required sales to survive and production ended in 2005. It was not replaced. Expensive to buy but cheap to run has never been a particular successful formula in the auto industry – note how difficult it is to get the wealthy into expensive electric cars. Nevertheless, the A2 was ahead of its time in almost every respect and has garnered an enthusiastic following in the ensuing years.

Can the new A2 e-tron combine efficiency with popularity? EVs have made a good deal easier to charge more for less, if you’ll pardon the pun, despite the market’s broad attempts to lower the barrier to entry at the bottom end.

An Audi is a premium machine, however, and although the A2 e-tron won’t change that, it’s notably sparser in interior details if not equipment. The extensive use of 'Softwrap', a new fabric surface, across the dash and door panels gives a certain minimalist, old school vibe.

Other useful features include Vehicle-to-Load (V2L), ie, you can charge your e-bike from the car, a large panoramic glass roof and magnetic charge stations for smartphones. Recycled materials are used extensively, from aluminium to plastic, with a special focus on designing components for recycling at the end of the car’s life cycle.

Visually, there are clear nods to the earlier car, especially in the shape of the glass house and the way the rear window is bisected by the descending roof glass. The front end is rather disappointing in comparison – any hope that Audi was going to head back to the clarity of 90s icons like the TT and A2 were raised by the recent Nuvolari reveal and then cruelly dashed by the towering grille of the new Q9.

The A2 e-tron splits the difference but still errs on the side of big grille=bold personality. Odd, given it’s a pure EV (and even odder given the 1999 A2 barely had any grille at all).

These are all hopefully minor quibbles about a car we’re nevertheless excited to drive. A2 is a perfect name for an EV that majors in minimalism in the service of slippery aero and efficient use of available resources. Here’s hoping that the A2 e-tron can avoid cult status and head for high up in the sales charts instead.

Audi A2 e-tron, from 38,200 euros, first European deliveries Q4 2026, Audi.com, @Audi

The original Fiat 500 is one of those evergreen, highly democratic objects that transcended wealth and class during its lifetime. In the decades that followed, the little 500’s image blossomed into cult car, design classic and highly desirable automotive tchotchke.

The latter status has been given another bump by the recent resurgence of high-end beach cars, spiaggina, inspired by the 60s original commissioned by playboys and industrialists to serve as a last mile transportation solution on the Mediterranean coastline, traversing solely between the yacht, the bar and the beach.

Preeminent in this tiny category of waterside trinkets was the Fiat 500 Jolly, created by Carrozzeria Ghia in the early 50s as a direct commission from Fiat strongman, Gianni Agnelli (Ghia had previously been applying the chopping roof and wicker treatment to other compact European cars).

In the modern era, original Jollys find themselves at luxury car auctions, whilst companies like Castagna Milano can provide a Jolly-fied Fiat Topolino Spiaggina, for a price. Even Fiat itself has ventured into homages based on the contemporary 500C.

The most prominent purveyor of the modern, ultra-restored Jolly, however, is Garage Italia, the creative lab plaything of Lapo Elkann (Agnelli’s great grandson). In addition to electrifying original 500s, the outfit also builds tantalising Fiat Panda restomods and gaudily transformed Ferraris, Maseratis and Alfa Romeos. Garage Italia doesn’t quite have the class of the original carrozzeria, but it certainly has the Chutzpah.

This new, new interpretation of the Spiaggina doubles down on its nautical origins. A collaboration with the Italian yacht design studio Hot Lab (part of the Swedish Viken Group), the new Spiaggina is very much intended as the kind of toy that could be hoisted on and off a superyacht for a spot of onshore exploration.

There are plenty of ways to transform the little Fiat into something with a cheekily camp, more shipshape attitude, from the interior materials to the boat-like livery. The central ‘Heritage Tunnel’, decked out like a Riva, culminates in rear seat storage area that could hold beach reads, magazines or even a bottle of bubbly.

Another obvious nod are the marine grade blue and white floor mats by Italdek, side ropes and specially developed indoor-outdoor fabric, ‘Scia’ by Mariaflora, that will also show up in future accessories. There’s also a Nardi Classic steering wheel, a marine spec item in wood and aluminium. Garage Italia describe this particular Spiaggina as being ‘conceived not simply as a car, but as an extension of the aesthetic language of a boat.’

Interested crews can find out more at Garage-Italia.com, @GarageItalia, Hotlab.it, @Hot_lab_yachtdesign, VikenGroup.se

The revival of beloved but niche nameplates from recent automotive history continues with the unveiling of the new Jensen Interceptor GTX. This all-new track-only supercar takes the name of a true late 60s, early 70s classic, a proto-supercar from a small manufacturer that brought together American muscle (the timeless Chrysler V8 engine) with Italian styling (by Carrozzeria Touring) with British ingenuity and idiosyncrasy. The 1967 Jensen FF featured four-wheel-drive, anti-lock brakes and traction control a full decade ahead of luxury German rivals.

That innovative, individualist approach is what underpins the company’s new revival, the Interceptor GTX. Squint, and you can see shades of Touring’s elegant original, particular in profile, with aluminium panels, a large rear glass screen and a fluid roofline. Those hints of elegance are all but smothered by the aero, with layers of carbon spoilers, splitters and sills creating a mean, purposeful look that’s way more muscle than the inspiration.

Underneath all this bluster is an aluminium chassis and a supercharged 6.8-litre V8, based on a highly modified GM unit, putting out 960bhp to the rear wheels. For now, the GTX is a one-off – an ‘enhanced prototype’ – that’s legal only for the track. It should ultimately manifest as a production-ready GTX, a street legal but still thoroughly menacing high-performance car. Fans of the original might have to wait a little longer, but if you mentally strip away the carbon excesses, you start to get a hint of what a luxury GT bearing the Jensen name could look like.

The GTX was designed, engineered and handcrafted in the UK, and the company is adamant that it hasn’t gone down the restomod path, rather starting from scratch. ‘We were determined to create something entirely new that carries the spirit of the Jensen Interceptor forward in a modern, authentic manner and, perhaps in the case of our first car, the track-focused GTX, in a way people would not expect,’ says David Duerden, Jensen International’s Managing Director, adding that ‘our intention was never to build a continuation car or revisit something that already existed.’

Eventually, the GTR will be a low-volume, high price performance-focused model, with the GT eventually following on, a luxurious grand tourer that will have much more spiritual alignment with the 1966 Interceptor. ‘We’re taking the process one step at a time and, crucially, making sure that each stage is properly funded, designed, engineered and developed,’ Duerden explains, ‘We’re very clear about what we want those next stages to become, while being fully flexible to work with our customers and respond to their specific needs.’

The Jensen International Group has several decades of experience in the classic Jensen aftermarket, as well as creating bespoke continuation models of the original. Working with American motor industry magnate Jeff Qvale, the company hopes to tap into the -hungry, heritage-sensitive high-end automotive clientele. ‘For me, this project is very personal because Jensen was such a significant part of my father’s life and our family history,’ Qvale says, ‘I spent a great deal of time at the factory during the 1970s, working across different departments and seeing first-hand what it took to build and develop these cars. Those experiences stayed with me.’

The new car has been styled by independent studio Avant Design, with the intention of projecting the design language of the original into the present day. Slim LED lighting elements are combined with large air intakes and those dramatic aero components, including a vast adjustable wing that adds some 350kg of downforce at the rear. Coventry Metalcraft handled the aluminium bodywork using a mix of traditional hand-crafted methods and modern technology, while Artiglio Automotive Studio, a specialist automotive composites manufacture, oversaw the carbon fibre.

The interior shown in these images is purely track-focused, including motorsport-grade polycarbonate glazing and an FIA-approved safety cage, Tillett carbon fibre competition seats and six-point harnesses. Although the essential architecture is all there, future GT buyers will just have to dream of a plusher, less functional configuration.

Can the Interceptor GTX spearhead a revival of this great name? Regardless of model, future Jensens are highly likely to be priced alongside or above even the more bespoke offerings from Aston Martin, Ferrari and Bentley. We hope it all goes according plan, if only to ensure that the 1966 Interceptor gets more credit for its striking form and innovation.

Jensen.Ltd, @Jensen.Ltd

Nearly a quarter of a century ago, I experienced the late flowering glory of Bristol Cars, an eccentric British manufacturer approaching the end of its first historic epoch. Spun off from the Bristol Aeroplane Company (founded in 1918), Bristol Cars parlayed the inter-war manufacturing experience it had gleaned from making car and bus bodywork into proper automotive manufacturing.

The car division was founded in 1945, with a factory close to Bristol’s aviation works at Filton Airport to the north of the eponymous town. Its first car was effectively a pre-war BMW, the rights to which had previously belonged to Frazer Nash and which were subsequently acquired via the War Reparations Board.

When Bristol Aeroplane started along the long road to becoming a part of British Aerospace, the car maker became independent, ultimately overseen by the inimitable Tony Crook, a leading dealer, racing driver and former Second World War pilot, who took over from the founding White family.

Crook defined Bristol’s character, eccentric, slightly out of time, but plain speaking and wilfully idiosyncratic. Bristol models evolved at a glacial pace, never quite finding the pulse of fashion but often picked by customers with similar anti-establishment views. Above all, they had to be approved by Crook, who ruled from the company’s sole dealership, a wood-panelled period piece beneath an apartment block in London’s West Kensington.

The cars weren’t especially competitive or even attractive once the Type 410 and 411 gave way to the hard-edged Beaufighter, Britannia and Blenheim models of the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. Nevertheless, they retained a certain je ne sais quoi, with lazy Chrysler V8 engines providing plenty of power. As the new century progressed, the ageing Crook took a step back, but not before the company’s swansong, the V10-powered Bristol Fighter, made its debut.

This was the car I was assigned to drive, with Crook in the passenger seat barking orders and directions. Low and slim like a cigarette boat, with an engine taken from Chrysler’s frankly over-powered and intimidating Viper supercar, the Fighter certainly looked the part, even if the performance claims were somewhat bold. It also wasn't the easiest car for an inexperienced driver to thread through London traffic, especially as it had a towering list price of over £200,000.

The interior was festooned with dials and buttons, and even had controls mounted on the roof and a gauge that showed the total engine running hours, just like in an aircraft. As we drove west out of London, Crook urged me on, all the while extolling the virtues of the narrow body, the copious luggage space and the effortless power.

Top speed was said to be in excess of 200mph, with an even more extreme Fighter T variant offering 250mph-plus. It’s not known if any of the latter were made, for sadly Bristol Cars was on the way out. The company closed its doors in 2011, sold its London showroom and workshop and shuttered the factory in Bristol. Maybe as few as 20 Fighter chassis were ever built, with some sources suggesting less than ten cars were ever completed.

For the past 15 years, the name was in limbo. Crook died in 2014 at the age of 93, not living to see a stalled revival in the shape of the 2016 Bristol Bullet. It was a blank and the name disappeared yet again. However, those familiar with the auto industry’s current fascination with the recent past will know where this story is going, for the Bristol Fighter is back. A full 80 years after the company's first-ever car, it has returned with a continuation series of five ‘new’ Bristol Fighters.

These cars, constructed on unused original chassis, will all be handmade and built to order. Hopefully they'll secure the claimed coveted 210mph top speed once and for all, courtesy of their 8.0-litre V10 engine. The car illustrated here, unveiled at today’s Salon Privé event in Blenheim (2 September 2026), is a showcase for the revival, with impeccable trim and build quality. As before, it’s a strict two-seater, with generous luggage capacity. As before, it remains a powerful GT machine for the discerning individualist.

It’s the first page of a new chapter for the historic brand, revived by new owner and director Paul King with assistance from chairman Richard Hackett – who once worked alongside Crook. ‘Bringing Bristol Cars back is about far more than reviving a name; it is about bringing back the spirit of a marque that has always stood apart,’ says King. ‘We want to honour its heritage while giving Bristol a future that is every bit as distinctive. This is the beginning of Bristol’s return, and there is much more to come.’

For more information, visit Bristol-Cars.co.uk

Bentley has gone through many phases in its 107-year life. There was the pre-war phase, dominated by the suave and swashbuckling Bentley Boys, the wafty ‘walnut wood and cigar smoking’ phase under rival Rolls-Royce between the 1930s and the 1970s and, most recently, the ownership of German juggernaut Volkswagen Group. That parentage gave birth to the Continental, which transformed Bentley’s brand image and fortunes back in 2003. Now comes the latest iteration, the unapologetically athletic Bentley Supersports.

The Supersports is nothing new for Bentley. The name dates back more than 100 years, when it graced a lighter, shorter and faster version of its 3.0-litre model. The rebirth came in 2009, with a dialled-up version of the Continental GT, before a successor arrived with the next-generation Continental GT in 2017. Each model was engineered for performance but kept the Continental GT’s proven four-wheel drive formula, while the latter came with four seats, ensuring its reputation as a refined grand tourer remained unscathed.

But much of that has gone out of the window with the latest iteration. In place of the current Continental GT’s hybrid system, sits a 4.0-litre, non-hybrid twin-turbo V8, while the rear seats are replaced with a carbon-fibre tub and all 657bhp is pushed to the rear wheels exclusively.

On paper, it’s the most radical interpretation of Bentley’s Continental GT yet and in practice, it certainly lives up to that mantle. ‘[Supersports] signifies a return to Bentley making more extreme cars, ones that combine extraordinary breadth of ability with true driver engagement,’ said CEO Frank-Steffen Walliser at the car’s launch. ‘Bentley has always thrived when revealing a more daring side, and the new Supersports is a statement of our intent.’

California’s Laguna Seca racetrack is a particularly unforgiving test ground. Its infamous Corkscrew has a vertical elevation drop of 18m between the entrance and exit of Turn 8. It is not a place you’d expect to find a Bentley, yet the Supersports shrugs off every inch of the track with an ease that belies its grand tourer underpinnings.

The most significant improvement on its weightier, more pedestrian sibling is its clear and sharp steering. It feels lighter and sprightlier through the corners, the rear wheels lighting up and stepping out playfully when prompted. It doesn’t feel threatening or unpredictable. It’s controllable, fun and raucous, with its titanium exhaust (supplied by specialist manufacturers Akrapovič) providing a burbling, spitting and rasping soundtrack to match.

Behind the wheel, it’s still very much a Bentley. The ride is on the right side of firm and the cabin is still filled with the creature comforts you’d expect from a car stemming from the Continental’s bloodline. Bentley has developed leaner, more supportive seats for the Supersports but they’re still comfortable enough to crack on with a cross-country drive if the opportunity came about. The carbon-fibre tub that replaces the rear seats is a structural component, lined with leather.

Externally, the Supersports shouts a little louder than most Bentleys, though never simply for the sake of it. Dr Matthias Rabe, Bentley’s board member for research and development, told the design team that nothing on the exterior could change for the sake of appearance alone. Every new surface had to be proven to work through computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tests before any of the design team were allowed to judge how it looked.

What that brief produced is the largest aerodynamic splitter ever fitted to one of the marque’s road-going cars at the front, flanked by cooling channels feeding the engine and front brakes separately. Stacked wings on each corner add more aerodynamic and visual enhancement, while more blades sit behind the front wheel arches. At the rear, a fixed one-piece spoiler and an integrated diffuser. Together, they add more than 300kg of downforce.

For all the fun and bravado, the Supersports delivers, it arrives at an odd moment. While the industry is busy adding batteries, and let’s not forget the marque’s very first electric car is due in less than a month, Bentley has taken one out of the Continental GT and charged an additional £140,000 for the privilege. But the Supersports has a different objective. The limited 500-car run is designed to shift people’s perspective about the 107-year-old brand and rekindle some of the experimental and pioneering spirit the marque was founded on over a century ago and to pave the way for what is to come.

Bentley Supersports, from £342,900, BentleyMotors.com, @BentleyMotors

Morgan has a long history with three-wheeled models, dating back to the early 1900s when cyclecars were all the rage. The affectionately named Runabout was a tiller-operated tax-dodging pioneer, thanks to a motorbike engine at the front and the absence of a fourth wheel at the rear. In the late 1920s and early 1930s, the company’s three-wheeled creations took on more of the recognisable look we know today, with sculpted rear ends and partly enclosed bodywork.

In modern times, Morgan is heralded for its commitment to building classics with contemporary engineering and the Super 3 is no different. After the company first revived its three-wheeled streak in 2011 with the Morgan 3 Wheeler, which harked back to the 1930s with its exposed engine, the Super 3 arrived as a sexier, aeronautical reimagining. It even formed the basis of the Morgan XP-1 Prototype EV in 2023.

The Super 3 is defiantly petrol powered. When I was trying it out, on no fewer than seven occasions did passers-by comment on its sleek, cigarette boat-like styling. It’s no easy task to create an attractive three-wheeler that looks timeless rather than tacky. Put one wheel at the front and you risk comparisons to mobility scooters or Trotters Independent Trading, but one at the back and two at the front, then all of a sudden, this is no Robin but a Roman chariot with 118 horses at the reins.

A single front wheel puts the tipping axis closer to the centre of gravity, so a delta layout has little margin for error. Reverse it, with the pair up front where the weight is, and the tadpole layout is far more stable going forward. This makes the Super 3 much harder to unsettle, though no three-wheeler is immune once it starts sliding sideways.

Kitted out with a helmet, armoured gloves and bike jacket, I wasn’t dressed up because of a high-profile accident that purportedly put paid to a popular television franchise, but because the Super 3 is essentially a very, very powerful trike and should be treated as such. Like a motorbike, it’s not a practical machine, but it’s not meant to be. It’s for recreation. You’re not doing the weekly shop in it, bungee cords on the sides for luggage notwithstanding.

There’s very little between you and the road; it’s essentially an aluminium tub with Perspex fly screens bolted to the body. It also comes with a honking great big 1497cc engine under the bonnet – the first time a Morgan three-wheeler has featured an enclosed engine. Admittedly, I had some trepidation about jumping into the Super 3, but having spent a week with it, I now see it more like a dog breed that has a reputation for biting people but If you treat it with respect, it’ll be the bestest boy.

It’s geared like a motorbike and will quite happily do 60mph and beyond in third. Weighing in at just 635kg and producing a respectable 186bhp per tonne, it matches the 440kg Caterham Seven 170, which produces 191bhp per tonne, from 0-60mph and bests it on top speed all with one less wheel. Thanks in no small part to its naturally aspirated, fire breathing, 1.5-litre Ford Dragon.

People love to extol the virtues of manual over automatic for the best driving experience, but few contemporary vehicles, aside from race cars, embrace the same commitment to analogue. The only ‘modern’ technology in the cockpit is two surreptitiously sunken circular displays that could be mistaken for air ducts.

Turn the key, which looks like a replacement blank, and the ignition lights them up. Even then, they more closely resemble dials you’d find in a light aircraft, above four flick switches and a missile launcher-style starter button in the centre. The only information shown is the rev counter, speedo and odometer. There’s not even a clock.

The 13-inch Moto-Lita steering wheel takes me back to driving Formula Ford single seaters at Silverstone. Minimal input gets the wheels turning where you need them to go and the novelty of watching the open wheels move never wears off. The sense of speed is similar too, the wind lashes every inch of your body above the bodywork and everything below absorbs the resonance of the high RPMs.

Straight-line acceleration is absurd. Only in corners, watching the double wishbone front suspension work, do you notice the lightness at the rear end. Since British roads are more akin to those of the Soviet Union these days, local car shows and weekend blasts are the sensible option to avoid sciatica and a sphincter-puckering bill from your mechanic, but that’s part of the stripped-back allure of the Super 3.

So, the million-dollar question: is it dangerous? It’s important to remember the Super 3 is not a car. In the UK, it’s registered as a motorised tricycle, so it doesn't have airbags, ABS, wipers or structural roll hoops, and there is a potential, however remote, to roll it, even at low speeds.

That said, the answer is much the same as it would be for a shotgun: in the wrong hands, of course it’s a danger. But if you’re responsible and diligent, and afford it the requisite reverence it demands, then bang for your buck, it is without doubt the most fun I’ve had driving all year. Once you know the risks, you make smarter decisions, in the same way you don’t look down the barrel of an empty gun, just in case.

Morgan Super 3, from £39,995, Morgan-Motor.com, @MorganMotor

The forthcoming T4 travel trailer from Aboard continues a trend towards a more architectural approach to mobile design, coupled with all the benefits that come from an electrified platform with onboard range extender. Think of the latter as a portable power station; not only can it sustain the T4 for lengthy off grid stays, but it works with onboard electric motors to effectively ‘carry’ the weight of the trailer, allowing towing vehicles to maximise their range and economy.

When it comes to the T4’s interior, the California-based company has drawn on the region’s contemporary architecture, particularly in the use of massive amounts of glazing, along with skylights and a floor-to-ceiling opening rear panel that opens up the interior to wherever you’ve set up camp.

The architectural emphasis continues in the fixtures, fittings and materials, with timber accents on the bathroom, white walls and free-standing furniture. In addition to the opening panels, there are doors on either side of the plan, with one set giving direct access to the bathroom.

Both the dinette at the front and the lounge area at the rear can be converted into queen beds, while the galley and bathroom are placed in the heart of the plan. According to Aboard’s design team, the T4 is ‘70% architecture, 30% automotive,’ and the clean lines of the exterior, with its flush doors and windows, concealed front storage and powered twin axle, create a futuristic, almost nautical vibe.

The 41kWh battery is paired with an onboard range extender. The T4 offers a variety of power outlets, including 120V and 240V, allowing external connections as well as powering the internal systems. Topping up requires keeping the gasoline engine fuelled and plugging into to a charger where possible. You can even use the system to charge your EV overnight, with the various configurations and power systems controlled via an app.

The four-berth travel trailer measures 25 feet in length, eight feet wide and weighs in at a maximum of 7,500lbs. Other accessories include a powered awning and the ability to use the shower as a mudroom thanks to the separate access door. The kitchen contains an induction cooktop and plenty of storage, while a heat pump system provides heating and cooling, powered by the battery.

The Aboard T4 is expected to start shipping in 2027.

For more information visit AboardRV.com, @Aboard.RV

The onwards march of the super-luxe SUV seems unstoppable. Hot on the heels of Mercedes unleashing an updated version of the Mercedes-Maybach GLS comes leftfield competitor Genesis with its all-new flagship GV90.

The South Korean brand is a purveyor of quiet luxury, stealthy in its lack of obvious brand recognition but no less accomplished than its rivals. The big G80 saloon is a popular chauffeur-driven machine back in its home country, and offers spacious, low-key luxury to those in the know elsewhere.

The company is more crossover and SUV-orientated these days, with the GV60 and GV70 now joined by the high-performance Magma sub-brand. Far-out concepts, like the Genesis X Skorpio Concept, hint at an innate playfulness, but the GV90 is deadly serious in its presentation of modern luxury.

Your attention is grabbed first by what Genesis describes as the ‘world’s first independently opening and closing hidden B-pillar coach door,’ an innovation it calls the Neolun Arch Gate, available on the top level of trim. That gives access into a vast passenger compartment, helped along by a 3,245mm wheelbase (the car measures 5.2m in total) and a fully flat floor design.

Genesis is focusing on the idea of a bespoke living space and there’s even the option of swivelling front seats that transform the GV90 into a luxurious conference room.

Right now, there’s no autonomous drive capability on earth that would let such a set-up be used in motion, but it’s the kind of configuration that appears in future-facing driverless car concepts. For now, the 4-seat Executive Suite set-up is a feature for the car park, where all occupants can bask in the bold colour schemes.

The launch edition Neolun model ventures into new chromatic territory with five bespoke pairings, Regal Navy / Majestic Purple; Quince Brown; Vault Black / Shadow Grey; Tyrian Purple / Travertine Beige; and Saddle Brown / Shadow Grey.

Other interior details of note include the dash-spanning cinematic display – up to 24.6” wide – and a 25-speaker Bang & Olufsen-powered sound system. Materials include leather, wool cashmere, stone, crystal and wood and a cabin-wide Ambient Glow mood lighting system ‘evokes the feeling of a private art gallery’. There’s even underfloor heating.

Safety systems include the world's first Roof Airbag, offsetting any anxiety one might have about the all-glass roof structure, while the power is supplied via a massive 123.5 kWh battery is required to give the GV90 a competitive, if by no means class leading, range of 311 miles (500km). Fast charging tops out at 350kW. If you’re not after the full four-seater luxury experience, the GV90 is also available as seven-seater.

Genesis GV90, price tbc, Genesis.com, @Genesis_Europe

Jeep gave its Compass line a thorough overhaul late last year, with a new e-Hybrid Plug-In model and the introduction of the all-electric Compass 4xe. Slotting into a line-up that includes the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, flagship Jeep Wagoneer S and the Jeep Avenger 4xe, the new Compass presents a surprisingly likeable side to a brand working hard to shake off its rather rudimentary image.

As part of the Stellantis family, Jeep has the benefits of massive parts bin and shared engineering ability as well as the pressing need to reassert a character of it own as result. The Compass sits on the STLA Medium platform, one of several shared bases that Stellantis uses to cross-pollinate engineering savings across its many brands.

Engineered for petrol, hybrid and pure electric powertrains, other vehicles in this C- and D-segment include cars, crossovers, and SUVs like the Peugeot 3008 and 5008, Vauxhall Grandland II, Citroën C5 Aircross II and the DS N°7 and N°8.

Does the Compass do enough to stand out? Discounting the luminous Hawaii Green of the test car, we’d say that Jeep’s design team has largely succeeded. In crossover configuration, STLA cars tend to share a boxy silhouette, something that plays very well to Jeep’s strengths (and doesn’t do any favours to the likes of Peugeot or Citroën).

Add a pleasingly faceted approach to bodywork, light signatures and the seven-bar Jeep radiator grille, and you end up with a car with a credible and confident solidity – not something you can say about every modern SUV.

Averting any identity crisis is one thing, but Jeep has gone a little bit overboard on the design ‘Easter eggs’ scattered around the car, like the silhouette of an original Jeep on the base of the windscreen, and the recurring Jeep grille motifs in the cabin that pop up like Mickey Mouse’s ears at Disneyland. What was once a fun little diversion is in danger of becoming a little bit twee.

The brand needs to have a little bit more courage of its convictions, because these little visual tricks really aren’t necessary, nor is additional branding like the seat stitching.

However, Jeep is very much a lifestyle brand these days (witness collaborations with the likes of The North Face and the simple sans serif logo adorns a huge catalogue of accessories and even a separate clothing store. Nothing unusual for a modern mobility brand, of course, but all part and parcel of building a connection between object and consumer.

The new Compass can speak for itself, regardless of all this behind-the-scenes stage management. The exterior design feels fundamentally right, certainly more so than the original Compass 4xe, and the Jeep isn’t so huge as to be unwieldy or unwelcome in urban spaces (it measures 4.55m long by 1.9m wide).

The 74kWh battery provides the equivalent of 213hp and has an official WLTP range of 290 miles. Your mileage will definitely vary, as always, but it’s more than enough to get over the range anxiety hump (a feeling that is fast being consigned to cultural history).

Downsides? There’s not an enormous amount of logic or consistency in the user interface, with multiple duplication of functions, confusing and unintuitive interfaces scattered across the main 16” touchscreen, although oft-used controls are thankfully given physical analogues.

Performance is ample, with electrification diverted towards refinement rather than raw power, and the light steering feels at odds with the robust, chunky nature of the overall package.

Ultimately, the new Compass points to a promising future for the Jeep brand, especially as some of its Stellantis stablemates struggle to assert themselves. The conglomerate is promising more and more design distinction between its brand portfolio going forwards. On current evidence, Jeep is ahead of the game.

Jeep Compass Electric, from £36,999, First Edition Altitude Plus edition from £39,800, Jeep.co.uk, @Jeep_UK

Each year, Monterey Car Week culminates in the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance event, held on the Pacific-side greens of this ultra-exclusive northern Californian golf club. Alongside multiple new reveals and iconic classics, the event’s 75th edition saw the hammer fall on three-quarters of a billion dollars’ worth of historic metal, a new record.

The 2026 edition of Monterey Car Week wrapped up on August 16th after ten days of reveal events peppered across the picturesque Californian peninsula against a backdrop of the lavish and loving display of hundreds of classic cars. The week centres around the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, the world’s largest automotive affair also turned heads with its record-breaking auction sales, courtesy of sales by RM Sotheby’s, Gooding Christie’s, Bonhams and Broad Arrow.

In all, sales totalled $755.6 million (£558.7 million), with modern cars occupying over half of the handshakes. Eleven cars saw buyers for $10 million (£7.4 million) or more while the highest price tag was a 1964 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe which sold for $42.905 million (£31.758 million). Designed by Pete Brock, the vehicle was produced only in six editions, including this auctioned chassis CSX2300 which was once owned by Carroll Shelby himself.

There was also the remarkable sight of the first-ever Ferrari Luce selling for no less than $40m through RM Sotheby’s, a result notable for many reasons, not least for being the highest ever price realised for a brand-new car (let alone becoming the most expensive EV ever sold). The buyer is reputedly a serial offender at the art of transforming cars into big-ticket auction records; the Luce lucre was effectively handed, less commission, straight into the coffers of Ferrari’s charitable arm.

The concentration of the world’s top car designers, brands, collectors, and aficionados on this breezy, historic West Coast grounds lent itself – unsurprisingly - to a social affair centred around buzzing displays, test rides, and after-hours gatherings. Just like other niche industries such as art, watch, and furniture, luxury automotive sector also thrives on desire, innovation, and the oomph effect.

One of the premium events of the week is The Quail, a high-end car show with a big sticker ticket price and a host of niche and premium brands jostling to show their wares to their target demographic. Across the packed itinerary, standouts included Cadillac’s main event, Curated by Cadillac ESCALADE IQ, which celebrated the all-electric flagship SUV for a customised experience. The concierge-led program allows customers to craft their very own vehicles through a generous option palette which reaches up to a million permutations, including 106 colours.

According to the brand’s executive design director Dominic Najafi, ‘the real twist’ in their broad offering is the addition of a new Santorini Blue pipping. ‘You normally wouldn’t see such colouring in piping in combination with tan and grey interiors,’ he told Wallpaper*. Najafi sees this accent as part of their emphasis on ‘expressing American luxury,’ and added: ‘We are not just copying rituals from Europe – we are creating a distinctive American experience.’

The Detroit-born 124-year-old manufacturer’s other offering was V-One, a new medley concept of their signature V-series with a single-seat competitive spirit innate to race cars. The hardware specific to racing is alchemised with a human touch that focuses on driver comfort and confidence. ‘If it doesn’t make the car go faster, we don’t put it in,’ said Sean O’Shea, Propulsion Manager of Cadillac’s LMDh series, about the concentrated tight design vision.

O'Shea added that the interior team uses similar materials in such a specific vehicle but translates their understanding of ‘luxury into a pure performance environment.’ Najafi also noted that the main design challenge was to represent the impression of the night in the car’s outfit. Rather than simply choosing a black finish, the team created a nocturnal effect with paintwork which yields flakes of blue when the sun hits the grey surface.

Lamborghini, on the other hand, joined the spectacle with Revuelto SV, a lineage that the Bolognese luxury car maker started 55 years ago. In this upgrade, a lightweight body and optimised aerodynamics result in a vehicle that can speed up to 345 kilometres per hour, which makes this version of Super Veloce the fastest Lamborghini car produced in Sant’Agata Bolognese. Black accents and a redesigned fierce SV logo on both sides convey a sharp statement of luxury.

Among the world debuts was RUF’s new performance car, Ehra, named as a nod to Phil Hill’s victory at the Ehra-Lessien proving ground in 1987. Given the vehicle’s historic homage, a nostalgic form outfits a 650-horsepower engineering in a bold hue of grey; inside, titanium pedals and hand-stitched light brown flag pattern and matte carbon trim accompany lollipop seats in a light brown hue which provides a dramatic but comforting completeness.

The Audi Nuvolari made its US debut at The Quail after first appearing at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc during the Monaco Grand Prix in June. The first modern supercar to come out under the vision of the German car manufacturer’s chief creative officer Massimo Frascella, the hyper halo car will be produced in an edition of 499.

The hybrid vehicle speaks with its futuristic, almost mysterious, body dressed in a moody titanium skin. The ability to reach 349 kilometres per hour is matched with a design and experience-forward philosophy which is evident in a low mid-engine body and a seamless appearance. The car later went on to the prestigious Concept Lawn at Pebble Beach, where it was seen alongside other recent design studies like the Vision BMW Alpina, the Bugatti Destrier and the Aston Martin Valen.

The main event was soundtracked by growling engines and echoing conversations and perfumed by the unmistakable tang of oil, petrol and faded leather. The Concours d’Elegance competition is scattered across the ocean-side golf course, with 218 cars representing an impressive slice of automotive history.

This year, Best in Show went to a 1935 Duesenberg SSJ Special Speedster originally owned by Clark Gable and presented by one Harry Yeaggy of Cincinnati, Ohio. A classic piece of inter-war design, it brought the event’s timeless sense of American luxury into sharp focus.

WhatsUpMonterey.com, Cadillac.com, @Cadillac / RUF-Automobile.de, @RUFsince1939 / Audi.com, @AudiUSA

‘Timeless luxury always begins with proportion, quality and craftsmanship,’ says Head of Interior Design at Mercedes-Benz, Hartmut Sinkwitz. Since its debut in 2019, the Mercedes-Maybach GLS has shown how these principles can be applied to SUVs. Its latest iteration refines this formula, combining meticulous craftsmanship with technical precision in a way that is unmistakably Maybach.

'The guiding idea behind the new Mercedes-Maybach GLS was to further elevate its character as a private sanctuary while strengthening its visual presence’, states Head of Exterior Design at Mercedes-Benz, Robert Lesnik. This ambition can be seen through the vehicle’s commanding silhouette, 23-inch forged wheels and newly designed headlights.

This sense of presence continues through the radiator grille, which is smartly framed by a luminous outline and complemented by carefully illuminated Maybach lettering. 'Our iconic radiator grille is inspired by our brand’s history and the desire to create an even stronger sense of distinction,' says Lesnik. Above it sits the iconic Mercedes-Benz logo, reinforcing the unmistakable German identity.

That same level of precision and care carries through to the arrival experience. As you open the doors of the new Mercedes-Maybach GLS, running boards deploy in under a second. This creates an immediate sense of occasion whenever you enter the vehicle. At night, a discreet LED strip highlights these elements, as the Maybach emblem is cleverly projected onto the ground.

‘Inside, every detail is designed around serenity and wellbeing’ explains Sinkwitz. In the cabin, the refined trim and ambient lighting create a tranquil environment. ‘Rather than creating visual spectacle, we use lighting to reinforce a calm and sophisticated atmosphere,’ states Sinkwitz.

The elegant MBUX Superscreen brings three displays together beneath a glass surface, extending digital information across the front row. ‘Our philosophy is that technology should enhance luxury, not dominate it,’ Sinktwitz says, ‘We also used Maybach-specific graphics to ensure that the digital experience feels elegant, calm and typically Maybach.'

An updated steering wheel, haptic controls and redesigned air vents add further polish to the interior. Customer feedback prompted the return of rocker switches and a precision volume roller. ‘The result is a more mature user interface that combines familiarity, precision and contemporary functionality in equal measure’, notes Sinkwitz.

The V8-powered vehicle boasts enhanced acoustic insulation, creating a quieter cabin than in previous models. Executive seats feature an advanced massage function that now extends to the calves, while the front seats are equipped with a newly developed vibration massage system integrated directly into the seat cushions. Together, these features create a calmer and more comfortable experience.

‘We took what customers already valued about the Maybach GLS and amplified it in a more contemporary and technologically advanced way,’ the designer explains. The Mercedes-Benz flagship model also offers extensive scope for personalisation through the MANUFAKTUR programme. New paint colours are complemented by exclusive leather interior packages, bespoke finishes and a range of meticulously crafted details, allowing each vehicle to take on a more individual character.

The new Mercedes-Maybach GLS is a luxury SUV defined by considered proportions, exquisite materials, and seamlessly integrated technology. Every element has been skilfully crafted to create an environment that feels effortlessly contemporary. An evolution of previous models, this new Maybach looks to the future without losing sight of what made it timeless.

Mercedes-Maybach GLS, from £179,995, Mercedes-Benz.co.uk, @MercedesMaybach

The demand for unique automobiles continues to rise amongst the uber-wealthy. Aside from lavishly bespoke creations from the likes of Rolls-Royce, the most vivid expressions of automotive singularity come from the world of supercars and hypercars. With memories of this year’s Monterey Car Week fast fading, we’ve assembled five examples of contemporary hypercar unicorns that look set to resurface at future concours for decades to come.

Porsche Flachbau RS

First up is Porsche, who rarely venture into the realm of the unique car (perhaps realising that individual takes on their iconic design language are better served by others, such as the recent Singer x Louis Vuitton collaboration. Nevertheless, occasionally a special customer request is granted. This is the Flachbau RS, a blend of GT2 and GT3 components assembled as part of Porsche’s Sonderwunsch (‘special request’) programme.

The initiating object of veneration in this case is Porsche’s 1970s-era race cars, particularly the Flachbau (‘slantnose’) 935 GT racer. That informs the frontal treatment, which eschews the familiar Porsche lighting set-up in favour of a more streamlined, aerodynamic form, with an outrageous rear wing taken from the 911 GT3 R rennsport. The body shape was also guided by the iconic 935/78 race car known as Moby Dick, thanks to its whale-like tail.

Power comes from the 700bhp 911 GT2 RS engine and inside and out the car has been stripped back to the bare minimum. The customer specified the highest levels of performance, so the car underwent over a 1,000km on Germany’s Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit. A two-tone race-inspired paint job finishes off the fully road-legal machine.

Porsche.com, @Porsche

Ferrari HC25

Ferrari’s design studio has created two one-off Special Project cars in recent months, starting with HC25. Based on the F8 Spider, the mid-engined roadster that ended production in 2023 to be replaced by the 296, Ferrari’s design team under Flavio Manzoni created a purist, minimal machine defined by its strong graphic elements.

The car, which its public debut in the US this summer, adopts a form language that’s closer in spirit to the F80, especially in the way the dark graphic form swoops over the engine cover to terminate in front of the real wheel arches. This element, which contrasts with the Moonlight Grey bodywork, houses all the car’s thermal management functions, from air intakes to heat extracts.

These forms are carried through into the interior through yellow stitching patterns on the seats. HC25 also features unique five-spoke wheels, with Ferrari’s signature yellow used on the brake callipers and badges.

Ferrari.com, @Ferrari

Ferrari CZ26

The next car from Ferrari Special Projects is the CZ26, debuted at this year’s Monterey Car Week. Commissioned by an American client, the CZ26 is an evolution of Ferrari’s SF90 Stradale, with a more technical, precise design language. Dare we say it, but there are even hints of the Ferrari Luce in the re-shaped front end, the flanks and the relationship between sills and bodywork. Overall, the bodywork gives the glasshouse a more capsule-like appearance, sitting atop the bodywork – another nod to the Luce.

Manzoni and his team cite the influence of Italian industrial design from the 1970s, particularly in the use of spot contrasting colours, with Rosso Lampante red and yellow picking out callipers, badges and the leading edge of the air intakes above the rear wheel arch.

The Argento Veloce bodywork is paired with unique gloss black wheels, and the technical influence carries through to the interior where a special black fabric is used along bespoke carbon fibre trim elements. At its heart, the CZ26 is an ultra-high-performance hybridized supercar.

Ferrari.com, @Ferrari

Bugatti Destrier

At this point in time, pretty much everything Bugatti does is unique. The original hypercar manufacturer is currently turning its hand to creating singular pieces of automotive sculpture for a vociferous contingent of diehard collectors. The company’s most recent series of one-of-one cars is dubbed the Programme Solitaire, a sort of biannual collector's experience club for the 1%. The most recent machine to emerge from the programme is the Bugatti Destrier, another MCW debut.

Bugatti call the car a ‘pure sculpture of speed’. The Destrier is an evolution of the track-only Bugatti Bolide, only this time the stops have all been yanked out to give the hypercar a more elegant, luxurious road-going focus. Following the official client handover at Maison Bugatti on Pebble Beach, the car went on public display on the Concours’ Concept Lawn.

At just 1m tall, the Destrier is the lowest Bugatti ever made. It’s also massively wide, incorporating a two-seater cabin swathed in leather, nubuck and 3D-printed textiles. The Sapphire Celeste bodywork was inspired by the 1936 Type 57SC Atlantic, whilst the Destrier is built around the company’s signature W16 engine, an 8-litre behemoth that puts out 1,600PS and remains the marque’s USP and blinking lure for the car collector.

Bugatti.com, @Bugatti

McLaren McL 6GT

Admittedly not a one-off customer car but a concept, the McLaren McL 6GT was a surprise introduction at 2026 Monterey Car Week. Widely understood to preview the next generation of McLaren road cars, the McL 6GT marks a return to a more analogue approach for the company’s supercars.

The concept certainly breaks from past design language, owing more than a little to Bruce McLaren’s M6GT, a one-off road car created in the late 60s by the company’s founder and now considered to be the starting point of McLaren Automotive.

As well as re-working its visual language, the McL 6GT includes a manual gearbox, hydraulic steering, and tactile physical switchgear, all indications of the growing backlash against synthetic digital drivetrains and cockpits in luxury cars. The concept also shares its ancestor’s approach to lightweight design, only here the principal material is carbon fibre. A production version will arrive in 2028.

McLaren.com, @McLarenAuto

In the dog-eat-dog world of hypercar one-upmanship, standing still is not an option. If you’re a luxury auto manufacturer worth its salt, however many ultra-limited-edition cars you make will never be enough to sate the collectors, speculators and extrovert owners who are always wanting a little bit more.

The trick is to maintain a level of demand through limited editions and the occasional one-off, ramp up the levels of customisation options so that no two cars could ever conceivably be the same, ensuring that design, desirability and investment potential are all neatly wrapped up within a single package.

Welcome to the Aston Martin Valen, the latest exercise in expansive automotive design from the Warwickshire-based luxury sports car manufacturer. Wallpaper* had a guided walkaround of the new car barely 24 hours before it left for the States where it is currently gracing the well-manicured lawns at Monterey Car Week for its global debut.

What can we say about the Valen that these images don’t immediately convey? Under that long, long bonnet is Aston Martin’s 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12 engine, now tweaked to deliver 850PS, making it not just the most powerful front-engined Aston Martin ever built, but the most powerful front-engined production car in the world.

Keen Aston watchers will detect the silhouette of the Aston Martin Vanquish beneath the dazzle-pattern style multi-hued carbon fibre paintwork, but the Valen’s combination of less weight and more power means a 0-60 mph time of 3.0 seconds dead and a top speed of 214 mph. The V12 gets a sonorous outlet thanks to a titanium quad exhaust system that gets prominent placement at the rear of the car. It’s said to be 50 per cent louder than the Vanquish, already no shrinking violet.

All this is the work of AM’s Q by Aston Martin service, working hand in hand with Special Vehicle Operations, a newly established division that takes the bespoke skills of Q and integrates them more closely with the company’s design team. SVO is headed up by MD Alex Long, who has been tasked with taking more risk and being more outré in its approach. The Valen follows on from previous specials, including the Aston Martin Valor from 2023, the Aston Martin Valiant and the one-off Aston Martin Victor from 2020, arguably the car that kick-started the current run of bespoke V12s.

According to Long, the Valen is ‘much more than coachwork. Our clients are very well versed in what’s under the hood across all supercars’. Nevertheless, the visual changes are also way more than cosmetic, with every single panel, light, brightwork and aero being unique to Valen. The aim, says Long, is to create a car that continues Aston Martin’s ‘long and illustrious line of special vehicles that can take their place at concours events for years to come’.

As the first special developed on the new Vanquish platform, Aston’s engineering team have dug deep to find more performance. Not only has the V12 been uprated, but the Valen is also newly revised hardware and software calibration to the steering, suspension and braking systems. ‘It’s about giving something really raw back to the customers,’ says Long, ‘every component and touch point of this car has been looked over.’

The weight saving comes not just from the carbon fibre bodywork, titanium exhaust, magnesium wheels and optional aluminium lightweight pack, but from a commitment to new manufacturing processes in the interior. This includes 3D-printed metal elements, especially in the centre console.

The Vanquish platform offered up a dream starting point for the design team, with perfect balance and proportions. ‘As this is a special project, we can truly push the design,’ Long says, pointing to a swathe of mood boards in the studio, festooned with words and catchphrases like ‘ruthless’, ‘anti-hero’, ‘ominous’ and ‘diamond in the rough’ that all presumably tap into the mindset of the 150 potential Valen owners.

Visually, the Valen majors on drama, from the ultra-slim headlights sitting above a crate-like carbon diffuser to the two upper and two lower tailpipes at the rear. In between, there’s a dynamic and dramatic flow of forms – enhanced here by the special Satin Andromeda Red paintwork – with the absence of a rear window allowing for a dramatic cascade down to the fixed spoiler. The treatment here is almost like a mid-engined car, although beneath that expanse of rear deck is a generous luggage compartment (fitted luggage is an optional extra, naturally).

‘Valen gave us the opportunity to explore and express more extreme emotions through a new form language and surface treatment,’ Aston Martin’s EVP and chief creative officer Marek Reichman acknowledges. ‘It’s a significant departure from what has gone before; sharply sculpted lines to reflect the aggressive dynamics, an attacking stance that emphasises the front-engine rear-drive layout and a bespoke interior design that creates a more sporting cockpit environment.’

The interior is where customers can get even wilder, with five different material splits, new upholstery quilting and stitching, the 3D-printed elements and anodised switchgear all coming together to create a whole that’s reminiscent of high-end technical sportswear or sporting equipment. ‘We pushed the character to be more experimental and extreme,’ admits Adam MacKerron, the interior team lead on the project.

Valen represents a strengthening of Aston Martin’s special vehicle strategy. The core cars will continue as before, but SVO machines are destined to a life shuttling between the auction block, the concours lawn and the air-conditioned garage, brand ambassadors that (hopefully) double up as rock-solid investments.

The name ‘Valen’ comes from the Latin valens – ‘strong’. Prospective customers are hoping for strong residuals to go with that bold look. Just 150 examples of the Valen will be built, with first customer deliveries scheduled for Q2 2027 and the rest of the run built out into mid-2028. The price? A seven-figure sum will be required.

Aston Martin Valen, price tbc, Configurator.AstonMartin.com, @AstonMartin

Hot on the heels of the successful launch of the Rivian R2 – to almost universal acclaim – the all-electric American SUV maker has returned to the flagship R1 to give it some welcome updates for the 2027 model year.

The R1S now has the option of second-row captain's chairs, adding to the sense of space and luxury in a variety of different trims. Additional MY27 updates include new colour and wheel options for the R1T pick-up and the whole range gets a little bit simpler to understand, with three new trim levels, Premium, Performance and the flagship Quad, rather than emphasise the number of electric motors each uses (two, three and four, respectively).

There’s no change to the storming performance and impressive range capabilities of the R1 (the Quad model will hit 60mph in 2.5 seconds, whilst the Long Range R1T model has an official range of 420 miles), but the interior trim and exterior colours have all been overhauled to broaden the distance between the premium R2 and what is now evolving into a distinctly luxury vehicle.

Trim options include Slate Sky Signature, which combines grey leather with plaid and walnut, Black Mountain Signature, with ash wood accents and the very California-coded Ocean Coast Signature.

Opt for captain’s chairs and the cabin layout becomes six rather seven seats, with a centre pass-through for long item stowage. The new chairs also include individual folding armrests and integral cup-holders. They can also be folded to create a table space.

Rivian R1S, from $83,990, R1T from $79,990, Rivian.com, @RivianOfficial

In little under two decades, California-based specialist Singer Vehicle Design has become one of the pre-eminent suppliers of highly luxurious reimagined and re-engineered Porsche 911s. The company, founded by Rob Dickinson in 2009, creates bespoke machines to order, from meticulously detailed cars that evoke 1960s and 1970s classics through to outrageous performance machines like the Sorcerer.

Over time, the Singer project has extended into timepieces through the Singer Reimagined brand. This new project, revealed at the 2026 Monterey Car Week, is perhaps the most ambitious yet. Working hand in hand, Singer and luxury French house Louis Vuitton – a name forever associated with high-end travel – have conjured up a pair of unique cars and a universe of matching accessories.

First up is the Porsche 911 Reimagined by Singer - Classic, the mainstay of the Singer fleet based on an original Type 964 coupé chassis. Resplendent in LV’s colours of saffron, cobalt blue and yellow, it is joined by a Porsche 911 Reimagined by Singer – Classic Turbo, a cabriolet model developed with Nicolas Ghesquière, Louis Vuitton’s artistic director of women’s collections, finished in Calcaire Lutétien white. Trimmed in Cognac leather and wood, the two cars offer an outlandishly detailed dive into the design and crafting skills of each company.

It all started with a clock. According to Louis Vuitton watch director Jean Arnault, ‘this unique and remarkable adventure began with a request for a dashboard clock for a car reimagined by Singer. In addition to the design and production of this clock by La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton workshops in Switzerland, it quickly became apparent to us that this collaboration with Singer could extend to the personalisation of every functional element of the vehicle, enhancing them through our expertise in leather craftsmanship and watchmaking.’

Dickinson concurred. From the initial request for a unique Tambour dashboard clock, the journey expanded into two cars and their associated accessories. LV wanted Singer to dive deep into its repertoire and responded in kind. ‘The specifications chosen by Louis Vuitton exposed us to techniques and methods developed over decades of experience,’ he says. ‘They trusted us with their esteemed brand, their traditions and their vision and it was a joy to bring our two worlds together.’

The clock remains at the heart of the project. This mechanical timepiece is fully detachable and can be converted into a desk clock. The inspiration was the Tambour watch, an evergreen 21st-century design. As Singer and LV note, ‘once integrated into the cockpit, it soon became clear that Louis Vuitton’s involvement could not be limited to this single timepiece’. From there, the entire instrument binnacle was reshaped, taking the classic five-dial array that has defined the 911 since its inception in 1963.

This alone took a year of work, as the graphical and sculptural face of the Tambour line was used to reinterpret the speedometer, rev counter and auxiliary gauges. The dashboard itself was finished in blue leather to match the cobalt hue backing on the new dials, while the bright orange lettering is a classic LV visual trope.

Mission creep continued, until the entire car was reshaped. Singer’s lead designer for the project was Octave Chany. ‘The aim was to create a true synthesis between Singer’s architectural and timeless language and the Louis Vuitton culture, characterised by refined materials, travel and expression of style,’ he explains. The end result is a co-branded project, a first for each company.

The Classic and the Classic Turbo models are true Californian pieces, both in terms of the colour palette and the chosen accessories. That’s most evident in the Classic’s unique roof rack, tailored to hold a Louis Vuitton trunk or the specially crafted surfboard that comes with the car. The board was handcrafted in Angers, France, with LV Monogram marquetry in blond oak and rich walnut.

There is even a pair of LV skis, handmade in the French Alps from wood, Titanal aluminium alloy and steel. The saffron in the 911 Classic’s bodywork is familiar to Louis Vuitton customers as a core component of the company’s packaging. It’s also the same shade used in the travel trunks the house created for Citroën back in 1924.

The interior of the Classic is naturally finished leather, in line with the leather accessories, details and trim used across Louis Vuitton’s luggage range. Here, the VVT leather is deployed across the entire cabin, a project executed by Singer’s experienced vehicle trim team using techniques also common to bag making, such as stitching and embossing. Plastic is nowhere to be found; instead, switchgear is almost exclusively made using hand-finished metal, anodised and electro-plated to achieve the right colour finish.

‘Projects of this scale and exclusivity allow for a level of attention to detail that is unusual in the automotive world,’ says Chany. ‘Every transition between materials, every metallic reflection, every knurled surface, every mechanical interaction and every graphic element has been meticulously considered, often at an almost microscopic level.’ Lift the rear engine cover and you’ll see how far the attention to detail has gone – even the fuel and oil caps utilise Louis Vuitton watch typography.

The Porsche 911 Reimagined by Singer – Classic travel collection

The accompanying collection of accessories and clothing required the entire house’s involvement. ‘Every department at Louis Vuitton has contributed to this unprecedented cross-disciplinary endeavour, from trunk makers and leather goods artisans to the fashion and footwear teams, and even the watchmakers from La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton,’ says Jean Arnault.

These include a racing jacket, unique shoes, the LV Remix Derby, perforated driving gloves in cobalt blue and a helmet of carbon and glass fibre with calfskin leather trim. Even the cloche key holder and the car keys themselves are custom made.

The Porsche 911 Reimagined by Singer – Classic Turbo

The collaboration’s Classic Turbo is a cabriolet with a nautical flair, thanks to the close involvement of Ghesquière. The white body, timber trim and leather upholstery are a deliberate nod to the classic era of motorboat design.

‘Automotive design is a passion that has always lived within me. My collaboration with Singer has been a chance to reconnect with this fascinating world – a magnificent opportunity to explore truly exceptional automobiles, says Ghesquière. Details include teak decking in the luggage compartment and gold accents throughout the car, with leather fastening straps on the hoods. On the cabriolet, the timepiece is given a new location in the centre console.

The project not only spanned LV’s collection of workshops and ateliers, but also Singer Vehicle Design’s two facilities. The Classic model was built at the company’s California location, while the Classic Turbo was crafted in Singer’s UK premises. ‘The project has provided us with new insights and fresh perspectives,’ says Arnault. ‘A fruitful collaboration that has also highlighted the synergy and enthusiasm across all departments of the house.’

As a functional work of art, each car is a peerless expression of both brand’s values. The Classic Turbo is a little more lairy, as turbo-charged Porsche cabriolets are apt to be, and both cars have an almost fetishistic attention to detail, with all those straps and fastenings and leather.

A capsule collection for the Porsche 911 Reimagined by Singer

‘It was important to remain faithful to the idea of a functional and useful vehicle,’ says Singer’s Chany. ‘Beyond aesthetics, the car had to continue to express the emotional notion of travel, so deeply rooted in the DNA of Louis Vuitton, while preserving the purity, handling and technical integrity that define Singer.’

SingerVehicleDesign.com, @SingerVehicleDesign
LouisVuitton.com, @LouisVuitton

As one of the auto industry’s longest-ever teaser campaigns finally draws to a close, Jaguar has eked out a few more column inches by releasing four images of the interior architecture of the upcoming Type 01.

These images are the first sight of the official production-ready interior, ahead of the car’s unveiling in New York in early October 2026. Closely hewing to the architectural language of the Type 00 Concept, the car will be a strict four-seater in this particular configuration, thanks to the retention of the central spine feature.

Whilst the concept dipped into materials like travertine, there’s no stone to be found, only a palette that ‘reflects the enduring beauty’ of the missing masonry, and a brass-inspired finish on the spine. It certainly makes for a strong statement, with a minimal approach that exudes 1990s-era residential and retail minimalism, think back to the heyday of Pawson and Silvestrin, with long, unbroken lines and large areas of massing.

According to Thomas Holden, chief interior designer at Jaguar, the Type 01’s interior is directly inspired by the exterior forms. ‘In contrast to the horizontal interior design norm, we emphasise its dramatic longitudinal nature through the central spine – an architectural statement that creates four individual spaces,’ Holden explains. ‘With authentic materials, technology on demand and reductive flowing surfaces, Type 01 presents unmistakable drama and theatre that will define the modern luxury automotive interior of the future.’

The instrumentation itself is yet to be revealed, although a wide-angle screen is visible behind the two-tone steering wheel. In the centre console, controls have been minimised with just a slender smartphone-sized touch screen providing the main interface. The rear-view mirror, also a digital display, is located at the base of the windscreen, rather than in the conventional spot.

A glass roof stretches the length of the cabin, with the console bisecting the front and rear seats; additional functions, such as concealed storage, are out of sight for now. The new Jaguar leaper logo – released right at the start of the whole process back in December 2024 – can be found on the door.

‘Jaguar Type 01 is the first production car to follow our new creative philosophy. Unmistakable from every angle, the interior is no different,’ says Jaguar’s MD Rawdon Glover. ‘With Type 01, we wanted every journey to be an occasion, from how it drives to how it looks and how it makes you feel. With a confidence-inspiring GT driving position, clean and sophisticated technology and dramatic styling, Type 01 has an interior like no other.’

A camouflaged version of the car was seen winter testing earlier this year, and a wrapped Type 01 also made its dynamic debut at the 2026 Goodwood Festival of Speed.

This week, the finished production model will be seen on American shores for the first time, albeit still swathed in disguise, at Monterey Car Week, alongside a celebration of Jaguars old and new at the Pebble Beach Concours.

Jaguar.com, @Jaguar

One of the most fabled of all vintage Bentleys was the ‘Blue Train Car’, a Herculean battle between automobile and steam train initiated in 1930 by Bentley chairman Woolf Barnato, and his secretary, Dale Bourne, racing Le Train Bleu, the Calais-Mediterranée Express, on its return journey back to the channel coast. It’s an oft-told tale in Bentley circles, even though the actual Speed Six model that did the run was usurped for many decades by the better-looking and more appropriately dynamic Gurney Nutting coupé (a car that went on to inspire Bentley’s EXP 15 concept).

We’re re-hashing this story not to harp on about the past, but to make the case for the modern Bentley as an equivalent to transcontinental luxury train travel. Barnato and Bourne probably didn’t have the same creature comfort as the train passengers they raced, but you’d be hard pushed to find any modern train service that’s as plush as the interior of a contemporary Bentley. Throw in a surfeit of power, a super smart hybrid system and one of the best modern auto interiors on the market, and you have an unrivalled mode of transport for two (four, at a push).

The most recent variant of the Continental is this, the GT S. Superficially, the evergreen Continental appears to come in just two variants, a closed coupé and a cabriolet. In reality, the model is sliced and diced to indulge the whims of a demanding clientele. Choice is the watchword, individualism is the destination and complexity is key. There may only be one power train (a twin-turbo V8), but it's available in various shades of output and is wedded to a body and interior that offer up infinite variety of choice.

The GT S sits in the mid-range of the Continental line-up, above the ‘base’ model and the softer, more graceful and refined Azure model. Above the S is the performance focused GT Speed and above that the Mulliner version, which includes every conceivable extra before you even get to break out the colour charts.

As a result, the GT S is one more galaxy of possibilities to lure the modern Bentley buyer. On paper, it sits in the dead centre of the Venn diagram of the GT's ability - sport, luxury, touring, technology. It’s not the most powerful, nor the most luxurious, but in practice, these qualities have been refined and elevated over the years so that only the most self-conscious, spec-obsessed buyer will ever find their car wanting.

Chances are, however, that plenty of Bentley owners are just that, hence the depth and breadth of the option sheet and the nudge towards budget-busting options from Bentley’s Mulliner division. If all that wasn’t enough, a new Supersport variant will be along shortly, explicitly designed to temper those egos who don’t feel fulfilled by 671hp.

Our press car is resplendent in Spark Blue paintwork (a £19,425 Mulliner option), along with a pricey dose of carbon fibre trim pieces, a carbon fibre exhaust, and the essential rotating dashboard display – cheekily pitched as an essential design element yet still a £5,320 extra. In fact, by the time the checkboxes have been filled, this particular car comes in with £62,130 of optional extras against a list price of £212,500. Deep breath.

Having expended Orient Express-levels of outlay, are you getting an OE experience? Short of a butler or two, and the requirement to dress for dinner, we’d say yes. The GT S pulls like a train and has all the performance and refinement you’d ever need for long, long distance travel. It utters a throaty roar on cue but can glide in serene silence when more decorum is called for.

The twin-turbo V8 is backed up by a seamless hybrid system, adding 187bhp of power via a 25.9kWh battery. That’s more than enough for up to 50 miles of EV-only cruising, as well as the electric shove the battery adds to hard acceleration. Bentley’s system – found elsewhere in the VW Group – also allows you to divert kinetic energy back into the battery, either to charge it back up or to hold it at a predetermined level. Electric for cities, V8 for the open road – the perfect compromise.

All this adds weight to an already mighty car, a shade under 5m long and tipping the scales at 2,459 kg. It’s to Bentley’s credit that the GT has always felt rather more lithe than leaden, thanks to clever active roll control and a four-wheel drive system that parcels up the power and dispatches it to the right corner to achieve uncanny levels of handling and balance.

This particular example of the GT majors on a more contemporary approach to the interior, with a duo-tone cabin combining Gravity Grey and Klein Blue. It’s not exactly restrained – far, far more classical combinations can be achieved if wood, leather and chrome are your bag.

Switchgear, dash layout and user interface feel a few years off the pace, but very much in a good way given the industry’s recent over-reliance on screens. A Bentley is a tactile experience, regardless of the amount of technology paddling away beneath the smooth surface of the water.

Other criticisms? A bit more boot space wouldn’t go amiss for those LV trunks. For longer journeys, the rear seats are best suited to smaller-framed people who can pack light, even though it’s way more generous back there than in an Aston DB12 S. For two people, however, the Continental GT S makes every journey feel like the start of a precious minibreak, such is the sense of occasion, comfort and potential the car exudes.

Hybridisation has enabled Bentley to retain its heart and soul, amplifying and extending the power, sound and refinement of its cars. The Continental GT has stayed remarkably true to itself over many generations and technological evolutions. Can the company translate these qualities into the upcoming Torcal EV, now only weeks away from reveal?

Bentley Continental GT S, from £212,500, BentleyMotors.com, @BentleyMotors

It’s hard work keeping up with the changing world of smallish Volkswagens. The days when the German company made two compact cars – the Golf and the Polo – have long, long departed, and the supermini sector is now awash with hatchbacks, EVs, compact crossovers, small SUVs and such like. As a one-stop shop for every conceivable sector of automotive design, VW is over all of it, often with mixed results.

The Golf continues to be an evergreen, while the Polo is en route to its transformation into the ID.Polo, an EV that mashes up the longstanding Polo heritage with the relatively short-lived ID series of standalone EV VWs, crossing the streams to (hopefully) blend the best of both and streamline the range going forward. Take a look at the company’s current model page and you’ll no less than 31 models that slice the market into carpaccio-thin segments.

There’s no ID.T-Roc just yet, but there is an ID.Cross, an EV SUV that’s closely related to the very slightly larger ICE and hybrid T-Cross. The T-Roc is barely 10cm longer, generally has larger engine options, as well as optional four-wheel-drive. And yet that’s enough to relegate the smaller car to ‘urban’ duties and allocate the T-Roc a more family-focused, long journey specialist.

We spent a week in a T-Roc – in a city – and can happily report that this is all essentially marketing. The T-Roc is relatively modest in scale (4.23m long by 1.82m wide, excluding mirrors). It’s perfectly happy in an urban environment – have you seen the size of the vehicles people drive these days? – and is well-mannered, comfortable and practical enough for any application.

In short, it’s a perfect example of VW’s no-nonsense approach to car building, wherein the base product is fundamentally sound, reliable and sensible, over which a topcoat of lifestyle marketing can be applied to appeal to various different demographics. According to Volkswagen, ‘the T-Roc sits in the compact end of the Volkswagen SUV range, above the T-Cross but beneath the Tiguan, Tiguan Allspace and Touareg.’

What do you get? The T-Roc R-Line is the top spec model, with a sportier stance and tuning. It still has the raised ride height of the standard car but this is by no means a true SUV or off-roader. Instead, the 12cm or so it gains over the closely related Golf (they share the MQB platform) goes into creating a more elevated view over other road users. More likely, it simply brings you into eyeline with every other SUV driver.

The Golf comparisons are apt, because not only do the two cars share a platform but – height aside – they’re a couple of centimetres adrift in terms of basic dimensions. Volkswagen also emphasises the ‘hatchback-like’ handling of the T-Roc and although the steering is pretty light, it’s by no means vague. In standard driving modes, the T-Roc feels slightly underpowered, almost as if the model is being held back a little so as not to threaten the Golf’s ongoing dominance as a compact all-rounder.

There are other compromises presented as positives, like the coupé-like rear roofline that only serves to cut into the usable boot space, and the chunky plastic wheelarches that want to put the ‘U’ into SUV but end up looking a little tacky. Like the Golk Mk7, the T-Roc’s dashboard has largely made up for the terrible missteps of a few years ago, when haptic buttons and sliders made a mockery of a straightforward user experience.

It’s still a little dark and austere, with only the splashes of Type-R blue on the wheel and seats to lift the mood. Other personalisation packs are available but nothing that really catapults the T-Roc into characterful territory.

Aside from the lifted, four-square stance and faintly forgettable proportions, the T-Roc does at least possess some flair in the form of the shapely shoulder line above the rear wheels – a nod to the larger Tiguan and Touareg. Quirkily, the T-Roc is also available as a two-door, four-seater cabriolet – the only soft top in VW’s current line-up. A cabrio was once a much-loved derivative of the Golf; in T-Roc form, it doesn’t have the same zesty image.

In conclusion, the Volkswagen T-Roc is perfectly adequate in every respect, yet even in its second-generation outing, it doesn’t quite spark enough joy. However, as VW’s best-selling model in Europe, it’s clearly doing something right by deviating ever so slightly from the centrist consensus. Ultimately, for this Golf fan, the T-Roc still feels usurped by an ageing relative who somehow still manages to remain more relevant and desirable.

Volkswagen T-Roc R-Line, from £38,500, Volkswagen.co.uk, @Volkswagen_UK

Strolling around the Cathedral Paddock at the Goodwood Festival of Speed allows mere mortals to get up-close and personal with incredible historic racing cars at rest – or just getting fired up to take on the famous event’s hill climb route. The following photographs are testament to that proximity, zooming in to celebrate the often-overlooked graphic splendour atop these amazing feats of engineering.

There’s a practical as well as aesthetic beauty to these liveries too, a point brought into sharp focus on a visit to the 2026 Le Mans 24-hour race. At the speeds being driven, especially at night, keeping track of the various entrants’ positions wasn’t easy. But the good ones – visually speaking and otherwise – stood out for their clean number font and/or sponsor’s carefully considered logo placement in relation to the racer’s wider colour way and bodywork.

Speaking later to a head of car design at a brand with significant current racing activity, he gently talked about the difficult balance inherent in accommodating the various demands of multiple sponsor logos on modern motorsport vehicles with the desire to create a racing car as iconic as some of those published here.

In honour of that pursuit, here are some of our favourite motorsport liveries from the early 1960s to late 1990s, as snapped at this year’s Goodwood event, as curated by Wallpaper*

1960 Scarab-Offenhauser F1

This all-American F1 car didn’t do very well in racing but should win a prize for the clarity of its 99 number font and front-forward placement in an era when sponsor’s logos were far fewer, as they had to be racing-related, and so weren’t plastered all over the body.

1963 Watson-Offenhauser

The devil is in the detail of the beautiful rear end of this front-engined Watson Roadster which took victory at the 1963 Indy 500. Note the gold wheels matching the vehicle’s number 98 and the classy red Pegasus logo of Mobil Oil, subtly denoting the team’s choice of lubricant.

1965 Ford GT MkII

It might have ‘only’ come third in Ford’s famous Le Mans 1-2-3 clean sweep in 1966 – a collective victory further immortalised decades later in the 2019 Hollywood film Ford v Ferrari – but for our money, this gold and pink GT is the best-dressed.

1975 Shadow Cosworth DN5

Great team name (Shadow), world renowned engine (Cosworth), but iffy end results: a fourth place at the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix was this car’s best finish. At least the team was lucky to have Lucky Strike cigarettes as a sponsor, whose iconic roundel logo was designed by the great Raymond Loewy, the man also behind the automotive logo for Studebaker and one of its most original (but commercially unsuccessful) designs, the 1963 Avanti.

1976 Chevrolet Camaro IROC

Beefy, brutal and cool – and with the orange and blue ‘76’ US petrol station chain logo cleanly adorning its front right – this Chevrolet Camaro was also a bona fide winner, its driver AJ Foyt taking the 1976 International Race of Champions (IROC) title entered by leading lights from NASCAR, IndyCar and more.

1976 Lancia Stratos

That the Lancia Stratos – originally launched in 1971 – is one of the sharpest-looking rally cars of all time, is no surprise when you know it was designed specifically for that purpose and by one of the greatest car designers of the 20th century, Marcello Gandini, then working for Bertone.

As he told this journalist about its origins: ‘I just wanted to make a car that attracted people regardless of whether it won races. There is a risk that a racing car might not win so what’s the point of it? But if it’s aesthetically appealing and doesn’t win, then it’s still a very appealing car.’

Luckily for Gandini, the Stratos was also a brilliant racer, winning three back-to-back manufacturer World Rally Championships in the mid-70s and looking fly as it flew too, courtesy of the carefully considered Italian airline Alitalia sponsor’s green, red and white paint job on this 1976 version.

1977 Porsche 934/5

Driven in the US by the wonderfully named Desperado Racing team, this Porsche got its unusual split number name on account of it being a 934 upgraded to a 935 via wider wheel arches – to fit larger wheels – and a bigger rear wing. Just ten were made and now change hands for big (up to seven-figure) money.

1983 Lancia Rally 037 Evo II

It’s hard to top Martini Racing’s navy, light blue and red stripes for motorsport livery clarity, even within a time when booze and cigarette sponsors created some of the most iconic ones. The Turin-born vermouth maker famously sponsored Porsche in the 70s and Lancia in the 80s, including this detail from a 1983 Lancia Rally 037 Evo II.

1997 Panoz Esperante GTR-1

Dan Panoz and his team raced this 6.0-litre V8 car in Europe and the US in 1997. Unusual at the time for its front-engine layout behind the front axle, the three bonnet nostrils are thus highly relevant while also interestingly animalistic.

The 2027 Goodwood Festival of Speed takes place from 15 - 18 July 2027 Goodwood.com, @FoSGoodwood

Norton, the revitalised British motorcycle maker, has teamed up with Foster + Partners to create a new retail concept in keeping with the brand’s renewed focus on modern British design. The manufacturer dates back to 1898 with a long association with events like the Isle of Man TT. Since 2020, it has been owned by Indian two-wheeler titan TVS Motor Company.

The retail proposal is one of the first fruits of the work undertaken by Norton’s Chief Creative Advisor, former JLR stalwart Professor Gerry McGovern OBE. McGovern tapped his extensive network to bring in Foster + Partners, and the result is this sleek vitrine-like display intended to showcase Norton’s new range.

Right now, the manufacturer has four core models, the Atlas and Atlas GT touring motorcycles, and the performance-focused Manx and Manx R. Each machine slots neatly into an elevated display stand, top-lit to better showcase their fluid lines, with an adjoining cabinet for Norton’s range of accessories and clothing.

There’s also support for customers to personalise their own motorcycle configuration, alongside interactive displays to show more information about each project. Designed as a modular proposal that can be scaled depending on the size of the retailer, starting with 50 square metre spaces, Norton ultimately wants to have a presence in 200 locations around the world, starting with the UK, Italy, Germany, France, Spain, India and the USA.

According to Gerry McGovern, ‘motorcycles at their best are emotional, sculptural objects of desire. In our experiential stores, they will be presented in environments that reflect their precision and modernity. The ambition is not merely to sell motorcycles, but to stage them – elevating their purchase from transaction to experience.’

Foster himself, a notable petrolhead, is quoted as saying that ‘Norton’s history is rooted in design, engineering and craftsmanship. Our design concept seeks to be a contemporary expression of the company’s heritage and timeless character of its motorcycles.’ The motorcycles themselves are designed and engineered in Solihull but manufactured at one of TVS’s facilities in Hosur in India’s Tamil Nadu state. The Norton Atlas starts from £8,250.

NortonMotorcyles.com, @Norton.Motorcycles

Azimut Yachts, the Italian luxury motor yacht brand, has just unveiled Seadeck 9, the largest yacht ever to roll out of its Avigliana shipyard and the new, gleaming flagship of a series that is quietly rewriting what luxury at sea is supposed to look like. The size makes headlines. The credits are the real story.

For the interiors, Azimut skipped the yacht-design establishment entirely – no ateliers steeped in gold leaf and gangway glamour – and instead hired Matteo Thun and Antonio Rodriguez, the Milan-based architecture studio behind the beloved Vigilius Mountain Resort and two decades of hospitality and healthcare projects built on a devotion to material longevity and unshowy sustainability. Neither had designed so much as a dinghy's cabin before this commission. Bold move. It paid off.

The absence of yacht-design convention shows the second you step aboard. Seadeck 9's defining flourish is a 180-degree pool deck and a run of cascading terraces that pull the pool level with the waterline, dissolving the usual hierarchy of a superyacht, in which the upper decks perform for guests while the lower decks quietly, invisibly, serve them. Here, everything just flows downhill toward the water, like the boat forgot it was supposed to be showing off.

'When Alberto Mancini started designing Seadeck, he had a very simple idea,' says Giovanna Vitelli, Chair of Azimut|Benetti, of the yacht's naval architect. 'If you can't contain the sea, then you become part of it. The 180° Pool Deck, the cascading terraces and the pool flush with the deck – everything flows naturally, taking you from the water straight into the heart of the yacht.'

Vitelli has overseen Azimut's product development and R&D since 2004 and became Chair in 2023. It was her push toward external architects, a break from her father Paolo Vitelli's five-decade in-house model, that opened the door to briefs like this one.

Materials carry the same logic through the interior, and there's poetry in the specifics. Palettes run in sand and cream tones intended to blur the line between deck and horizon, so you're never quite sure where the boat ends and the Mediterranean begins.

The carpet underfoot – soft, unassuming, easy to miss – is woven from yarn recovered from discarded fishing nets. 'It's a small detail,' Vitelli says, 'but it says a lot about the thinking behind the whole project.' Quite. Thun and Rodriguez specified recycled or recyclable materials wherever the brief allowed, treating sustainability less as a checkbox than as a texture.

Seadeck 9 also marks Azimut's first hybrid production series, built on a carbon-fibre hull for weight savings that translates directly into fuel efficiency. Rather than let 'sustainable' stay a marketing word, Azimut is now benchmarking its boats against the SEA Index and YETI ratings, third-party tools that give owners, brokers and insurers a comparable efficiency figure instead of a claim.

'I often talk about gentle technology,' Vitelli says. 'Technology shouldn't dominate the experience. It should work quietly in the background, allowing people to enjoy the sea without distraction. Hull efficiency, hybrid propulsion and lightweight carbon-fibre construction – none of these innovations is there simply to impress. They're not about speed; they're about delivering more comfort, more silence, better efficiency and, ultimately, more freedom.'

That principle extends to Hotel Mode, which lets owners drop anchor for hours with the generators switched off entirely – no hum, no diesel smell, nothing but the boat, the stars and the water, doing its shimmering thing.

'For me, the ultimate luxury is silence,' Vitelli says. 'When everything becomes quiet, you feel completely at one with the sea.' It's the sort of line that could sound like brochure copy from anyone else. From her, standing in front of the boat, it doesn't.

She reaches, unexpectedly, for a lyric to explain where she thinks luxury is headed. 'There's an old Italian song called Sapore di sale. Every Italian knows it. It's about the feeling of salt on your skin after a swim, lying in the sun with someone you love. I think that's where luxury is going. It's no longer about showing off – it's about moments like that.'

Behind the launch, rather charmingly, is a €50 million investment in expanding the Avigliana shipyard, which sits in the foothills of the Alps, nowhere near the water the boats it produces are destined for.

'I always find it quite special that we design and build yachts in the mountains for a life at sea,' Vitelli says. 'Seadeck 9 is an investment not only in our facilities, but in the future direction of the company.'

Mountains to sea, hoteliers to hulls – Azimut seems to be making a habit of hiring for the job it wants, not the job it's always had.

AzimutYachts.com, @Azimut_Yachts

Thomas Ingenlath has returned to Volvo as the company’s Chief Design Officer. The German designer, who trained at London’s Royal College of Art, has a wealth of experience.

From early days at VW Group, where he worked on Audi and Volkswagen, he became Chief Designer at Skoda in 2000 and then Director of Design at VW’s Design Centre in 2006. Ingenlath left the VW Group in 2012 to take up the role as Volvo’s Head of Design. In 2017, he diversified, heading up the newly formed Polestar as CEO – appropriately enough given Polestar’s first two models, the 1 and 2, were developed from Volvo concept cars from his time at the sister brand.

In 2024, Ingenlath resigned from Polestar and took a role in Geely exploring the Chinese parent company’s various brand ventures. It was a non-executive role that ‘finally gave me time to sit and think’, he says, ‘I was not in competition with anyone.’ Despite enjoying this neutral and slightly detached point of view, which involved regular visits to Geely’s main design studios in Shanghai, Ingenlath was lured back to Volvo by CEO Håkan Samuelsson (himself a returnee to the company having headed it up from 2012 to 2022).

Now Ingenlath finds himself back at Volvo, this time as Chief Design Officer. The company will celebrate its centenary in 2027 and Ingenlath is both a safe pair of hands with extensive brand experience and someone with the chops to commandeer a start-up with its rapid way of thinking and acceptance of fresh ideas.

After admitting that he was slightly worried about the return, Ingenlath adds that ‘it felt like a completely new thing. There is lots to do, with a great product offer.’ It’s a personal challenge, for sure, but without the uncertainty that greeted his first stint at the company. ‘It’s very different to 14 years ago,’ he says, adding mischievously that the first time around, Volvo had been ‘very suspicious of that German guy.’

Volvo’s current position is one of strength. It occupies a premium slot in the marketplace, with a carefully considered portfolio of products that share clean, minimal design. However, a century is as good a place as any to consider future plans, next steps and natural evolutions. This time around, Ingenlath brings a comprehensive awareness of Swedish working culture, as well as long-established trust.

What defines the challenge ahead is therefore not immediately apparently. Volvo’s current premium position and clean, minimal design language is very much bedded in, with familiar consistency from the small EX30 right up to newly launched EX60.

The company’s other EVs include the EX40 and EC40, the flagship EX90, with the relatively new ES90 Saloon. All of these models would have been signed off and readied for production in the years Ingenlath’s focus was on Polestar, so he is effectively coming with a clean slate – not that one is needed.

Ingenlath is quietly critical of what he describes as the industry’s ‘half-baked shift to electrification’, stymied by short-term political thinking around the world that stuck an array of spanners in the gears of carefully planned product rollouts. He also admits to being more pragmatic than he used to be about full electrification. ‘I can be dogmatic about what a superior drivetrain [EVs have] but customers simply have the choice,’ Ingenlath says. Polestar’s pure EV stance was easier to convey through its start-up like feel and absence of history, but in a country like Sweden with its classic car culture (and curious passion for big, gas-guzzling Detroit relics), even a straightforward switch to EVs isn’t a given.

Ingenlath is philosophical about these slow shifts in cultural traditions and perception. ‘What does a car mean?’, he asks, ‘is it the psychology of freedom?’ Rather than divert attention with powertrain debates, he believes Volvo can do more to reassert its role as a psychological mainstay, a provider of mobility but also emotion, support and comfort.

One oft-cited criticism of contemporary Volvos is their over-reliance on touchscreens, along with many other Geely brands (and, to be fair, manufacturers across the board). In a Volvo, this new focus felt especially galling given the company’s hugely impressive safety heritage and the equally huge distraction that a screen creates in the cabin, especially when one is trying to hunt down a control).

He admits that screens can be ‘so overwhelming’ and, without giving anything away, hints that more tactile and haptic (force feedback) controls could return to cabins, combined with the existing screens. ‘How do we then do switches that are special, meaningful and have tactile feedback?’ Ingenlath asks, rhetorically. Doubtless, he already has some answers but isn’t ready to share them just yet. ‘I would not be surprised if the idea of ‘more screens’ is better will be completely the opposite in six months,’ he adds.

What is clear is that Ingenlath wants to bring a bit more spark and verve back to Volvo design. Having set the brand on a course towards Scandinavian austerity and material simplicity, perhaps it’s time to make more of an impact. ‘I want to be a bit more joyful about doing things,’ says the designer, pointing to the Volvos of the 50s, 60s and 70s with their bold colours and friendly lines and graphic playfulness.

As noted, next year marks the company’s centenary. ‘2027 will be 100 years of Volvo – it is a great opportunity,’ says Ingenlath, ‘on the one hand we can build on our link to that great history, but how can we transform that tradition into a meaningful future?’ It seems likely that there’ll be some conceptual forays revealed around the celebration events, offered an intensely concentrated taste of what Volvo’s future could and should be.

The motor industry is changing fast. Chinese companies are pumping new brands Western markets like a CEO with a T-shirt gun at a company retreat. Despite this, legacy brands can still rely on a huge cache of cultural memory – provided they’d don’t dilute it with inappropriate new products.

We recently spent time in one of Volvo’s much-loved by also very much outgoing models, the V60 estate. Still for sale (unlike the larger and now discontinued V90), the mild hybrid V60 is a competent all-rounder with a sober, slightly dull but relentlessly practical image. It’s the spiritual descendant of the estate cars that made Volvo’s name back in the 60s, 70s and 80s.

In an SUV-focused world, is there any life left in the wagon/estate format? More to the point, should cars be getting smaller? Recent releases from Audi and Zeekr suggest peak SUV is still some way off. ‘In 2019, I was out in one of the first XC90s in Gothenburg and I parked it next to a new Range Rover,’ Ingenlath recalls, ‘I couldn’t believe how small the Volvo felt.’

Nonetheless, Volvos still need a certain heft and scale to convey solidity and safety. Could the brand go smaller than the current EX30? ‘It’s a nice question for any premium brand and a lovely task for a designer,’ he muses, ‘but as a brand, the EX30 is a good small car.’

Scale and screens aside, Ingenlath wants Volvo to reassert its humanist, Scandinavian roots. ‘The basic idea and value of Volvo is not about technology – it’s human-centric. That is where we start,’ he says, ‘we are the human-defined vehicle builder. That is so valid today. We’ve ignored the fact that the technology we have has one purpose: to serve the person driving the car.’

Finally, there is design. Where should Volvo go? ‘How do we transform from a 100-year old visual identity into an identity for the next 100 years?’, Ingenlath says, ‘the ‘iron mark’ was our identity for a century, a grille flanked by two headlights. This is a question for all companies who have the luxury of having that heritage. We need a modern expression and we don’t have the answer just yet. But everyone is going through this. We can’t be stuck – we have to move on.’

Few car companies make it to their second century, even fewer with an identity that has remained so cohesive and as widely respected as Volvo’s. In Thomas Ingenlath’s capable hands, Volvo will be setting the tone of the next generation.

Volvo.com, @VolvoCars

This year, The Aurora returned to Sweden’s west coast for its third edition, from 26–28 June 2026. Once again, the event transformed the picturesque Norrviken Gardens in Båstad into a celebration of automotive excellence. Welcoming more than 16,500 visitors, The Aurora further strengthened its reputation as one of Northern Europe’s most exciting car shows.

At the heart of the weekend was a unique double concours that featured both classic automobiles and modern hypercars. The carefully curated selection reflected The Aurora's distinctive ability to unite automotive heritage with contemporary design.

This year’s highlights included the world-first public appearance of the Rolls-Royce Spectre Series II, the unveiling of the Lamborghini Fenomeno Roadster, and the showcase of the production Koenigsegg Gemera.

Beyond the concours, visitors could enjoy an extensive programme of talks, exhibitions, and activations. The expanding Aurora Yacht Show also added another dimension to the event, showcasing an impressive collection of luxury vessels in the nearby harbour.

By combining lifestyle with high-end vehicles, The Aurora continues to establish itself as an international platform that celebrates automotive heritage, innovation, and craft.

Our highlights from The Aurora 2026

Mercedes-Benz Classic

The Mercedes-Benz Classic stand at The Aurora marked 140 years of innovation by placing the brand’s past, present and future in direct conversation. At the centre of the display were two carefully paired moments in automotive history. The 1937 W 125 Silver Arrow sat alongside the 2018 Vision EQ Silver Arrow concept car, drawing a clear line between Mercedes-Benz’s racing heritage and its electric future.

Nearby, the iconic 1970 C 111-II was presented alongside the 2023 Vision One-Eleven, highlighting how experimental design continues to shape the brand’s approach to performance, technology and form.

The display also celebrated the C 111’s distinctive gold-orange ‘Weißherbst’ finish, a colour that has become closely associated with one of Mercedes-Benz’s most recognisable experimental vehicles.

Visitors were also able to see a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, two running authentic replicas of the 1886 Benz Patent-Motorwagen, and the Roarington simulator challenge, bringing together heritage, storytelling and interactive engagement in one stand. ‘At The Aurora, we brought technological and design history to life,’ says CEO of Mercedes-Benz Heritage, Marcus Breitschwerdt.

Mercedes-Benz.com

Brabus

Brabus made its debut at the event with a bold showcase of modern high-performance luxury. The centrepiece was the Brabus Bodo, a Gran Turismo Coupe created in tribute to the company’s founder Bodo Buschmann. Built as a statement of power, craftsmanship, and elegance, this vehicle will be limited to just 77 units worldwide – a tribute to 1977, the founding year of Brabus.

‘The Aurora was the perfect location to celebrate the official Scandinavia premiere of the new Brabus Bodo, and the response we received from everyone who stopped by our display was absolutely incredible’ says CEO and owner of Brabus, Constantin Buschmann.

The display also included the Brabus Rocket GTS, the Brabus 700 based on the Range Rover P 615 SV LWB, and the Braus 800 Cabrio based on the Mercedes-AMG G 63. Together, the line-up captured the brand’s ‘1 Second Wow’ philosophy, blending opulence with visual impact.

Brabus.com

Koenigsegg

One of the most anticipated moments of the weekend was the public debut of the Koenigsegg Sadair’s Spear. The hypercar showcased the Swedish brand’s evolving design and engineering ambition. With sharpened aerodynamics, a track-focused character, and unmistakable road presence, it is a celebration of high-end automotive design.

Alongside the full-size car, a 1:1 Lego replica brought a playful element to the display. Built from 327,000 bricks without glue, the model recently set the world record for the fastest Lego car, reaching 69mph.

The stand also featured two Koenigsegg Gemeras, the world’s first four-seat Megacar, as well as the CCGT, the company’s only GT1 race car. Visitors could also see the CC Prototype and Koenigsegg’s first production car, the CC8S.

‘The Aurora has, in a very short time, established itself as a refreshing addition to the world’s leading concours events,’ says Christian von Koenigsegg, CEO and founder of Koenigsegg.

Koenigsegg.com

The Aurora Yacht Show

Now in its second year, the Aurora Yacht Show brought a strong maritime dimension to the weekend, expanding The Aurora beyond automotive excellence into a broader luxury lifestyle experience. Set in Båstad Harbour, the show featured an impressive collection of premium brands, including Delta Powerboats, J-Craft, Nimbus, Axopar, Riva and Fleming Yachts.

Highlights included the new Riva Dolceriva 48 and a Riva Iseo displayed in the gardens of Norrviken. Attendees also saw a fully equipped explorer yacht from the Tung Hwa Boatyard in Taiwan. New for 2026, the Yacht Hospitality Package allowed VIP guests to arrive by sea, with a Princess F60 welcoming guests throughout the event.

The Aurora.se

40 Years of the BMW M3

BMW’s third year as a partner at The Aurora brought together motorsport heritage, high-performance engineering and future-focused design. The display celebrated 40 years of the BMW M3, with the iconic 2002 Turbo and M3 GT E36 highlighting the brand’s sporting legacy. The showcase also featured the new i3, iX3, 7 Series, and the upcoming all-electric X5, showcasing performance, technology, and contemporary automotive design.

Looking to the future, BMW presented the all-electric M Concept Neue Klasse, following its world premiere at Le Mans. Finished in Monza Red metallic, the concept car combines expressive proportions with motorsport-inspired aerodynamics, offering a glimpse of the German brand’s next generation of high-performance vehicles.

‘The Aurora is proving that Scandinavia can host an automotive event on the same level as the very best in the world’ says president and CEO BMW Group Northern Europe, Stefan Teuchert.

BMW-M.com

The next edition of The Aurora will run from 2 to 4 July 2027
TheAurora.se, @TheAuroraConcours

The Aion V is another new Chinese all-electric, mid-size crossover SUV just launched into the crowded UK market. So far, so the same, but Aion is part of the wider GAC Group, which has manufacturing experience stretching back to 1948 in Guangzhou (that’s what the ‘G’ stands for).

And crucially, the business has taken time to launch its Aion electrified brand into Europe after seeing missteps made by other Chinese exporters in terms of over-optimistic sales targets and service shortfalls that ultimately resulted in hasty market exits leaving customers high and dry.

Aion knows it is late to the EV party with its V, but its UK team is offsetting that with a very sturdy eight-year warranty and decent £36,450 starting price. It’s fair to say there is a definite hint of Citroën C5 Aircross about the 4,605mm-long vehicle and it shares similarly upright dimensions (but the French crossover is actually a bit longer, wider and lower).

However, the V’s almost horizontal bonnet, utilitarian roof rails and chunky surfacing with soft edges clearly avoids accusations of being a Range Rover clone, or indeed in aping an amorphous assemblage of design cues from various smooth curvaceous crossovers by other Asian brands.

Despite the mainstream exterior Citroën associations, the interior of the V is more luxurious. The padded and perforated leather upholstery and quilted seat stitching in cream and dark grey looks – and feels – classy.

That finish only comes as part of a £1,495 Premium Pack but that option also includes an extremely well-engineered and finished second-row tray table – closer in execution to Bentley than Citroën – plus eight-point massage seats and a ‘cool/hot box’ situated under the central armrest which can heat, cool or even freeze itself.

Curious to try the box during one of the UK’s recent heatwaves, we tried to crank up the freeze function – via a couple of button presses within the centre touchscreen’s settings at the outset of a significant journey – but while it did get frosty eventually, we wouldn’t trust ice cream in there until after a few hours.

Perhaps surprisingly, diverting energy to freeze rather than just cool, didn’t seem to dent the car’s 317-mile electric range from the 75.3kWh battery either. There’s also a button on the back of the centre armrest so rear-seat passengers can adjust the box’s temperature, down to minus 15°C if required.

Space upfront is good and there are some neat interior touches, including large chrome grab handles that hide their door-opening function until logically pulled. The floating centre console with two mobile phone trays – one for wireless charging – and two cup holders behind, is all very current spec, Chinese import, with a 14.6-inch rectangular central infotainment screen above.

Pairing an Apple phone for CarPlay is relatively easy, but switching between the two can be fiddle-some. A little button at the top of the car’s touchscreen to get back to Apple CarPlay is not the easiest to press on the move, although the reverse manoeuvre – back to the car’s software from Apple – is easier via a branded button within Apple’s main menu.

Passenger space in the back is genuinely excellent. There is loads of room between knees and front seat backs and headroom is very generous too (even if wearing hats). The boot is a good size too – 500-1638 litres min/max – and has two layers so charging cables can be stored under the load floor. But the tonneau cover and its fixing point is thin and flimsy.

Don’t expect the Aion V to be a racing driver’s friend on the move either, that’s not its reason for being. But despite its relative height it doesn’t feel unstable or wallow through corners and it can also absorb a lot of the bumpy nonsense of Britain’s often uneven roads.

For now, the Aion V stands apart as a very well-appointed car for the money – especially inside. For the future, while other more humdrum Chinese entrants rely on more conservative local design outposts to tailor their products for European tastes – usually in Munich – Aion will surely benefit from its well-established and more fashion- and design-focused Milan-based design studio.

Maybe this savvier Euro influence, backed by Chinese innovation, smaller sales aspirations and better customer service will help Aion plot a different course.

Aion V, from £36,450, AionAuto.co.uk, @AionAutoUK

A well-timed riposte to the arrival of the Zeekr 9X, this is the newly announced Audi Q9, a flagship SUV and the top tier of the entire Audi portfolio.

This particular Q is anything but anonymous. Described as the company’s first ‘full-size’ SUV, an appellation which might surprise Europeans, the new Q9 sits above the Q7 and Q8, rounding out a range of SUVs that starts with the Q2 and takes in a few SQ performance models and even the RS variants of the Q8.

‘Full-size’ refers to the US market, where cars considered gauche, overweight and altogether too big for dainty European towns and cities are relative minnows. In Europe, Toyota tops out with the Land Cruiser; the Americans get the Toyota Sequoia. Similar motoring math applies to US-centric models like the Nissan Armada and Lexus LX, as well as domestic competitors such as the Ford Expedition MAX, Cadillac Escalade, and Lincoln Navigator.

What all these behemoths have in common is three rows of full-sized seating – no cramped third rows suitable only for small children. Such ‘full-size’ models run the gamut from family-friendly to luxury conveyances. The Q9 is firmly in the latter camp, going up against established models like the Escalade.

This is a segment dedicated to cars that are much better experienced from within than from without – it’s business class brutalism. Although there’s a groundswell of fresh appreciation for smaller, less imposing cars, Audi’s status within the VW Group means it can soak up the premium prices associated with luxury SUVs, leaving compact car development to better equipped and experienced brands like VW, Seat and Cupra.

Inside the Q9, scale has been deployed in the service of experience and comfort. You sit beneath the company’s broadest panoramic sunroof, 1.5 sq m. All four doors are power operated (and can be popped open simultaneously at the touch of a button on the remote). Bang & Olufsen supply the 22-speaker sound system. Armrests and front centre console are heated. Adaptive air suspension is paired with quattro four-wheel-drive for sure-footed ride and handling.

As if to complement the array of internal screens, the Q9 has a very specific world first up its sleeve. The exterior lighting is supplemented by on-board projectors that beam a directional arrow on the ground when indicating, helping keep pedestrians and cyclists fully informed of your intentions. The OLED lights (curved at the rear) can also run through a full dance card of merry patterns on start-up and shut down.

We have to come out and say it – we’re not fans of Audi’s current grille treatment. Consider the cliff-like visage of the Q9, so large that it has squeezed out the headlights to the upper reaches of the frontage, a design choice that only serves to exaggerate the car’s scale.

At 5.31m long and 2.21m, with wheel sizes of up to 23 inches, Audi proudly claims this is the largest car they have ever made – it dwarfs even a long-wheelbase Range Rover. Launching an automotive leviathan into the teeth of a climate crisis is a ballsy move – there’s even ChatGPT integration to ensure that every facet of high consumption is covered.

There’s also no pure EV. Instead, a mild-hybrid system is harnessed to a 3.0-litre V6 diesel will be the primary powertrain – capable of electric-only driving as well as a handy combination of torque and efficiency. Still, the Bratislava-built Q9 will no doubt find a willing audience when it hits the road this summer.

Audi Q9, UK sales begin in August 2026, price tbc, Audi.co.uk, @AudiUK

Up until now, the idea of China as a source of genuine alternatives to the luxury status quo has remained rather abstract, the subject matter of breathless influencer videos and elaborate motor show launches – all of which have been largely confined to the PRC. Now with the official arrival of the new Zeekr 9X, the Geely sub-brand has its sights firmly set on the European luxury market.

The brand, headquartered in Gothenburg, is already well established in markets like Sweden, Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands, with German operations recently starting and other key European nations spooling up. There’s no word on a UK launch just yet, but it is said to be on the cards.

The 9X will be Zeekr’s largest car to date and its first to have a straightforward luxury positioning. As the company’s VP of Design Stefan Sielaff told Wallpaper* back in May, ‘[the 9X] is a Range Rover-sized SUV. It has three rows of seats and you can turn the second row around 180-degrees for a conference-style layout. This is pretty rare in Europe – I think customers here will appreciate this.’

Designed in the company’s Gothenburg studio, the 9X doubles down on equipment levels and material quality. No surprises for guessing which particular premium SUV brand is being targeted – JLR take note – but such is the level of elevated detail that even Bentley might have to start looking over its shoulder (coincidentally, or not, Sielaff spent six years as Bentley’s Design Director).

Whatever the target, the combination of quality and price will surely bring some kind of shake-up to the big SUV market. Buyers here are especially attuned to the nuances of branding and history, and Zeekr – founded in 2021 – is a minnow in the heritage stakes. However, only a fool would bet against the lure of the new Chinese manufacturers, as sales charts across Europe attest.

Fit and finish are the first things to get right. Zeekr is promising an interior with Nappa leather, hand-polished Nordic wood trim, hand-cut crystal on the control surfaces, no less than 32 Naim speakers, a 17” rear screen, automatic blinds all round and heated, cooling and massaging seats across the first two rows. The 9X is available initially as a six-seater, with a Super Hybrid powertrain that puts out nearly 900hp and has an onboard 2.0-litre turbo engine to serve as a generator for the electrical architecture.

According to Zeekr Europe’s CEO, Lothar Schupet, the 9X ‘is our response to the next generation of luxury consumers. More than ever, luxury customers want more from their car, and the Zeekr 9X is a direct answer to this demand, designed in Europe for European roads… The Zeekr 9X is not luxury borrowed from another era. Instead, this is a new era of luxury, beyond convention.’

So will private jet-style interior trimmings, high technology and exceptional space be enough to tempt traditionalists out of their heritage brands and get behind a brand-new badge? The Zeekr 9X certainly has the presence that scale inevitably brings, as well as a specification and level of tech that’s the equal of any premium European manufacturer. Regardless of its positive attributes, the 9X will still have to conquer a customer mindset that’s been set in stone for decades.

The new 9X will be launched in selected European markets from the end of July 2026, Zeekr.eu, @ZeekrEurope, @ZeekrDesign

GM’s expansive archives contain all manner of riches, from countless design sketches, colour swatches and models of all scales, to plans for show stands and presentation renders. In all, the GM Archive houses over eight million photos and a quarter of a million films, along with all manner of physical and digital media.

There’s also an unusual subset of material, as explained by GM archivist and curator Natalie Morath. ‘Someone recently rang us up and said, “I think I have something,”’ says Morath. The items came from the estate of the late John ‘Winn’ Winniford Morton (1928-2022), a Texas-born theatrical designer whose career spanned an impressive eight decades, creating costumes for the likes of Oklahoma! as well as Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey circuses.

Not only did Winn Morton work in television and the theatre, both on and off-Broadway, he also created the costumes for the ‘Ice-Travaganza’, a monumental performance held at the 1964 New York World's Fair and overseen by champion figure skater Dick Button.

Morton’s love of the big spectacle and grand gesture made him the perfect costume designer for a very particular type of live show, the ‘Industrial Musical’. The newly discovered drawings, some 400 of them, relate to Morton’s work in this sphere for GM. Created to dress the participants in these unique – and largely lost to time – live shows, Morton turned his pen to idealised characters that represented the perfect buyers for the GM brands of the era, including Cadillac and Chevrolet.

‘Morton was connected to GM via his work on Broadway,’ Morath explains. ‘He was a member of the Costume Designers Guild and we used him for several years for multiple brands.’ GM had a longstanding connection with writers, technicians and performers, both for live events, auto shows and TV segments, with actresses like Florence Henderson (1934-2016), best known as Carol Brady in The Brady Bunch, appearing regularly as the ‘Oldsmobile Girl’ early in her career.

‘As far as we can tell, these sketches were all done for these shows, which were high-production, Broadway-scale narrative musicals, maybe half an hour in length, that were put on for dealers, not the public,’ says Morath. Rarely, if ever filmed, these live shows introduced dealers and company employees to the next year’s products, with actors, singers and dancers appearing alongside full-size cars, often dressed to match the paintwork and trim. Sometimes the songs were issued on vinyl, creating sought-after future collectables (click to listen to 'Diesel Dazzle', from the 1966 show Detroit Diesel).

Often, established composers and lyricists would work on these shows, such as Kander and Ebb (Cabaret and Chicago), Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick (Fiddler on the Roof) and Michael Reno, musical director of the original production of The Rocky Horror Show, among others. ‘We don’t have any surviving scripts,’ says Morath, ‘so it’s fun to imagine in your head what the story was and who these characters were. These are the only fashion items in our collection,’ she adds, ‘they’re unique.’

GM’s Archive is housed in the original GM Design Center building in Warren, Michigan, part of the company’s treasured and recently restored Global Technical Center and expanded design studio complex. ‘Part of the job here is to find ways to share these materials to our audience, who are primarily the GM design community,’ says Morath. ‘We stage exhibitions in our gallery space, helping them find connections between past and present. It’s a good time to take a pause and look back at the company history.’

GM.com/heritage

Thornley Kelham’s new restomod takes a very specific moment in motor racing history and recreates it as an ultra-light, bespoke sports car. To the uninitiated, the British niche manufacturer’s Porsche 356 European SL looks like a stripped-down, hot-rodded version of Porsche’s very first sports car, as popularised by custom builders around the world.

But the European SL has a more authentic claim to fame. The car was inspired by the Porsche Type 514, the specially lightened, all-aluminium racing version of the 356 (also known as the 356 SL for Super Leicht) developed for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It was Porsche’s debut race at the Circuit de la Sarthe – its first race anywhere, to be accurate – and the little ultra-light 356 went on to win its class.

Four 356 SLs were built for the race, with fared-in wheels, and specially streamlined bodywork. Thornley Kelham’s homage isn’t quite as extreme, but it is certainly a hymn to the art of aluminium bodywork. The company will also ensure its modern iteration of the coupé is constructed to cope with modern standards of performance and dynamics and everyday usability.

‘We are extremely proud to present our new Porsche 356 European SL, 75 years after the original Type 514 was waved away from Zuffenhausen by Ferry Porsche to compete in the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans race,’ says company founder Simon Thornley. From the handcrafted panels – made with a skill honed over years of exacting restorations – to the stripped-down, minimalist interior, this is a modern iteration of a classic Porsche form.

There are subtle upgrades to the styling, inside and out, while the panel fit and finish far exceed what was possible back in the 1950s. Under the teardrop shaped bodywork is a bespoke 2,332 cc air-cooled flat-four engine, available with either 180 bhp or 200 bhp. A five-speed gearbox (over the original’s four) with the option of passive dampers.

This all weighs in at 930kg, unless you ladle on the options. These include fitted luggage and upgrades to interior electronics and systems. ‘I wanted to deliver a car that Porsche themselves might have done were they not hindered by 1950s engineering capabilities,’ says Pim van de Riet, 356 programme director and an original 356 owner. ‘Our 356 European SL captures everything I love about the original, reimagined without compromise for the 21st century.’

The Cotswolds-based company was founded in 2008. Thornley Kelham’s other products include the Lancia Aurelia Outlaw B20GT, updated versions of the Jaguar XK and more traditional classic car restorations, across marques like Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, Lamborghini, and Bizzarrini. The company plans to make fifty examples of the Porsche 356 European SL and is taking expressions of interest now.

ThornleyKelham.com, @ThornleyKelham

By the end of next year, the waters around the Maldives will be humming with some 30 hydrofoils, in what looks set to be a test case for the world’s first standardised inter-island transportation service. Indeed, that number will be just for starters: by the end of the decade this network is expected to be 100-vessels strong, thanks to a $100m deal between JIH Global Investment, a Dubai-based development group with interests in luxury hospitality across the island chain, and Navier, a Bay Area-based US company building what it calls next-generation hydrofoil vessels.

Navier’s 30ft N30 hydrofoils are all-electric, with a 75-nautical-mile range, and built around a super lightweight carbon-fibre hull – the company sees this as a scalable platform on which it will soon offer a 40ft version of its hydrofoil, now being built, and, later, both a 120ft one and a hybrid version. According to Navier, small high-speed boats are 15 times more expensive to operate than similarly sized hydrofoils. The first five N30s will go into service over the next few months.

‘The fact is that hydrofoils can fundamentally change the way we think of moving through water,’ argues Navier’s founder Sampriti Bhattacharyya, ex of Nasa and MIT, where she worked on the development of underwater drones. ‘Hydrofoils don’t fight the water, but ride above it, with low drag and a lower wake [relative to conventional boats]. That makes them more energy efficient and smoother to ride – because, again, you’re above the water.

‘A network of smaller vessels is also more convenient because they don’t require the building of a big terminal [as a more conventional ferry service might], operating larger ships that may be transporting just a few people at a time,’ she adds. ‘Hydrofoils are not new, but cheaper, more compact computing and sensors of the kind used in drones and self-driving cars have also allowed us to build more economic systems [through which the fleet can be managed]’.

Initially, Navier’s Maldives fleet will service the islands’ upscale hotels – Bhattacharyya says the N30’s quiet, zero-emission electric motors are a better fit with the Maldives’ public image as a sustainability champion, with the nation aiming for ‘net zero’ by the end of the decade. Today, the Maldives currently sees around 3,000 gas-powered vessels operating in its waters.

Navier, which was founded in 2019, is also in the planning stages for a second such hydrofoil network for Cambodia, with a smaller service for the Four Seasons Hotel in Austin, Texas, situated on the banks of Lady Bird Lake. Indeed, Bhattacharyya sees potential for Navier’s hydrofoils to operate in any premium coastal market, citing the likes of Miami, Nantucket and New York. The US Navy is also a customer.

Yet the plan is to extend access to the company’s hydrofoil networks to the general public, on demand via an app, now being developed, making them a kind of maritime Uber Black. Eventually, the intention is to compete with public transportation networks, moving both people and goods. That, it’s hoped, could be a game changer for the economies of island nations dependent on boats and seaplanes and especially those driven by tourism. Last year, the Maldives had 2.2 million tourists.

‘This is an ambitious project and will, I think, take a lot of educating the market,’ Bhattacharyya suggests. ‘Hydrofoils are not widely understood [by the public] and inevitably there’s a lot of scepticism, at least before there’s an experience of their “magic carpet” ride. The maritime market is [in contrast] rather antiquated.’ The upsides – in terms of reduced sound and pollution – are definitely worth the trouble.

NavierBoat.com, @NavierBoat

The automotive and the aeronautical are natural bedfellows, and there have been many manufacturers with a hand in both. Mention Rolls-Royce to an airline captain and he’ll assume you’re referring to a jet-engine, not John Lennon’s limousine. BMW powered the Luftwaffe. Mitsubishi, long before it built Shoguns and Lancer Evos, had few repeat customers on the basis that they were mostly kamikaze pilots.

In pre-war France, cars and planes were treated as art forms or haute couture. Both were viewed as a showcase for national ingenuity, and in 1934 Renault took to the skies by supplying the engine for the Caudron Rafale C.460 racing plane you see here.

Drink in that simple, rakish 1930s design. The fuselage is astonishingly slender, fashioned primarily from spruce and birch plywood over a lightweight structure. Magnesium components reduce weight further, while a snug inverted engine and retractable landing gear eliminate unnecessary resistance.

The canopy barely disturbs the aircraft’s silhouette; it’s almost submerged within its spine. Even stationary, this thing looks like it’s doing 300mph out of the pages of the Boy’s Own Paper. It’s all about speed; about cutting through the air like a sabre.

It was built to compete in the Coupe Deutsch de la Meurthe race, a 300km speed trial that took place high above the patchwork of fields and rustic villages that separate Etampes and Chartres, to the south of Paris. The colour Bleu de France transformed engineering into national iconography.

In 1933, fascinated by aviation and the world of amateur air racing, Louis Renault bought the Caudron aircraft company. The Rafale takes its name from a gust of wind. Its designer was Marcel Riffard who, in 1910 at the age of 23, had invented the first aircraft to be made of metal.

His other innovations include the medical aircraft. Following Renault’s takeover of Caudron, he began designing aerodynamic motor cars, such as the 1934 record-breaking Renault Nervasport land speed car and the Renault Etoile Filante (Shooting Star) gas turbine-powered machine, which set a powertrain record of 191mph in 1956 (and went on to inspire a 2025 Renault concept car).

The Rafale, though, is arguably his most handsome legacy, and legendary aviators such as Maurice Arnoux, Raymond Delmotte and Hélène Boucher queued up to fly it. Boucher, who was among the most pioneering female pilots and a major celebrity of the day, set a class record speed of 284mph in a Rafaele C.450 (as well as a women’s speed record), which Delmotte beat a few months later in the upgraded C.460 (the difference was its undercarriage, allowing for retractable wheels), by going 314.32mph on Christmas Day 1934. He won the Coupe Deutsch de la Meurthe the following May at an average speed of 277.5mph.

The C.460 was originally powered by an air-cooled, supercharged, 8-litre Renault 6Q inverted six-cylinder engine producing 325bhp. Prior to Delmotte’s record attempt, its displacement was enlarged to 9.5-litres, producing 365bhp, which drives a Ratier two-position variable-pitch propeller.

While this racing engine survives, the single C.450 and three C.460s built do not. Everything, including the design plans, was lost during the Second World War and the C.460 you see here is a painstaking replica that’s been totally restored during the last two years under Renault’s watchful eye by Aéro Restauration Service in Dijon.

Bruno Ducreux is the plane’s pilot and chief restorer. Preparing this aircraft after it had sat unused for more than a decade in California was an operation that required extensive work to the entire airframe.

‘The plane is flying well, although it’s not an easy plane to fly,’ Ducreux tells Wallpaper*. ‘You need a lot of power to keep it flying. There is no visibility because you sit really at the back of the plane. The cockpit is very tight and you can’t really move your head. And it lands very fast, at 160km/h. However, it’s very controllable and fun to fly.’

Ninety-two years after first captivating spectators on the ground, there’s a Rafale skimming the clouds once again at French airshows, connecting modern audiences with one of the most elegant aircraft of the interwar period. It’s also inspired the name of a contemporary Renault; the midsize hybrid crossover Rafale.

Shame it doesn’t ape one of Marcel Riffard’s streamliners, as it’s rather boxier than that of his oeuvre. After the airborne Rafale has done the rounds, it will see out its days at Renault’s future heritage museum at Flins, Les Collections, which will open in 2027.

A design masterpiece, the winged Rafale remains graceful even when viewed in a hangar. There are no decorative flourishes, because none are needed. Its aesthetic emerges from airflow, balance and proportion. It shares as much with the minimalist furniture of Jean Prouvé or the architecture of Robert Mallet-Stevens as it does with conventional aviation.

Marcel Riffard’s goal was to win air races, yet the Rafale endures because it captures something more elusive than speed records. It represents the romance of 1930s modernism itself, rendered in wood, aluminium and magnesium, with a classy coat of French blue paint.

Renault.co.uk, @RenaultUK

Might more calm rather than more horsepower be a selling point for the luxury cars of tomorrow? Range Rover has introduced an industry-first electrostatic sound system, for its SV Ultra model, with 21 speakers, plus four bass speakers and subwoofers, complete with transducers in both seats and floor. It’s the perfect set-up for a thumping in-car rave, perhaps.

But the Gaydon, UK-based carmaker has also worked with the music department of Coventry University to develop a series of ‘wellness tracks’, complete with corresponding massage programme and each with a different vibe. Need to dial down your heart rate ahead of a tough meeting? Let your car take the strain. Need to get the blood pumping ahead of, well, a tough meeting? Your SV Ultra is at hand.

A gimmick? Perhaps. But Range Rover is thinking hard about how to make the time we spend in a car pleasing beyond the increasingly ubiquitous comfortable seating and a near-silent engine. For example, it’s also offering an upscale Airwick in the form of a collection of six fragrances baked into ceramic capsules that plug into a slot in the glove compartment and which then waft the likes of Peace, Restore and Rejuvenate – as a few of the fragrances are named – around the compartment.

That system debuts in Range Rover’s forthcoming model – currently undergoing final testing - a grand tourer that retains the brand’s famed off-road capabilities. The Range Rover GT’s lower, sportier exterior is a distinct evolution of Range Rover’s traditional aesthetic, if not on the par of stable-mate Jaguar’s divisive Type 00 Concept of late 2024.

An all-electric power plant has allowed Range Rover to extend the GT’s wheelbase to create an especially capacious cabin even though the GT is also Range Rover’s lowest model to date. The muscular design still projects a certain solidity, helping the GT maintain Range Rover's signature stance.

Although the GT is Range Rover's ‘most car-like’ product to date, as managing director Martin Limpert calls it, arguably it’s the GT’s contemporary interior that is more arresting – and calming. According to Alex Watkin, Range Rover’s chief designer for interiors, the GT represented the first example of ‘a more reductive design approach’ for the brand, with the standard in-car content – cup-holders, fridge, storage space, switchgear and so on – still available but hidden away to leave broad swathes of clutter-free surfaces.

The traditional instrument cluster is replaced with a single screen - the HMI or Human Machine Interface, from which the fragrance capsules can also be controlled. The result is a car interior as seen through the lens of Bang & Olufsen or Dieter Rams.

Range Rover has also decided to forego the usual ‘luxury’ choice of leather in favour of using a stretch PV that allows for a seamless upholstery comprising much large panels not possible with animal skins. The company says this choice is also more sustainable, odourless, half the weight of leather and wear-tested over the equivalent of 10 years.

In another industry first, speakers and airbags are hidden behind low-gloss knitted fabric surfaces, also deployed as a single piece across the dash top. Together with the outsized panoramic glass roof the interior feeling aims at being akin to ‘an open-plan living room space,’ says Watkin.

The Range Rover GT will be the first all-electric Range Rover from Jaguar Land Rover’s new Electrified Modular Architecture platform, engineered for its battery and hybrid vehicles, with a hybrid version of the GT planned for an unspecified point in the future. It’ll follow on from the forthcoming Range Rover EV and Range Rover Sport EV.

Range Rover has announced its third all-electric model and this time it’s a pure EV from the outset, a car that also marks Range Rover’s debut in a brand new sector. Welcome to the Range Rover GT, a crossover luxury electric GT that shares the new EMA platform with the forthcoming Jaguar Type 01.

Whilst the Jaguar’s form factor – for all its controversies – represents a continuation of the lithe, low-slung sporting ethos that has defined the brand for decades, the RR GT is a definite departure. Debuting as EV-only, with potential for a hybrid-electric version further down the line, the GT will be built at Range Rover’s Halewood factory. A full reveal won’t happen until later this year, implying that production could start in late 2027 or early 2028.

What else do we know? The low, curved roofline is very much atypical for a Range Rover. Up until now, the company has eschewed any sector other than the standard SUV, reasoning that it offers up multiple use cases, from executive luxury to off-road tool, in the same form factor.

From a superficial reading of the stance and ground clearance, the GT can’t possibly offer the breadth of ability of a ‘regular’ Range Rover; perhaps this is a tacit acknowledgement that only a small fraction of the company’s customer base ever tackles anything more challenging than a high curb.

Instead, the focus is on long-distance travel and luxury – both things that Range Rover (not to mention Jaguar) already do rather well. To that end, the company has laid bare the cabin design to give aspiring customers a good idea of what to expect. This is very much a minimal space, sharing, dare we say it, some of the architectural elements of the Type 00 Concept.

That includes a large centre console between the front seats, a stripped-down dash with a very horizontal emphasis and technology that is largely hidden away, rather than placed in plain sight (discounting the large landscape touch screen).

The rear cabin continues this architectural focus, with vertical blade-like trim elements marking the junctions between doors and dash. Woven textiles are prioritised, as are simple graphics and minimal physical controls.

The latter might seem controversial at a time when almost all premium car makers are reintroducing a more analogue approach back into their interiors following customer feedback.

However, as Range Rover says, ‘every [interior] element has been considered to create a sanctuary of calm, with a focus on reduced visual and acoustic noise and natural conversational access to more vehicle functions than ever before’, implying that the company believes minimalism is still a strong driver in the luxury sector.

There’s no word on tech specs or range just yet, beyond the fact that this will be the most ‘car-like’ Range Rover ever built, bringing together ‘effortless EV performance, first-class long-haul refinement and all-terrain capability’.

The flowing camouflage wrap seen here cloaks any new design detail that might also debut with the car and could influence the rest of the range. Likely rivals include the Mercedes-Maybach GLS and Bentley's upcoming Torcal EV, with a corresponding uplift in the price point.

Almost a decade ago, JLR applied for the trademark ‘Road Rover’, a hint that development of a low, more dynamically focused model has been in the works for many years. The name dates back to the 1950s, when Land Rover was considering a less agricultural machine for a wider customer base, a project that eventually led to the launch of the first Range Rover in 1970. Subsequent industry upheaval – pandemics, EV regulatory shifts, Jaguar’s brand overhaul, the massive JLR cyber-attack – have all conspired to push back the debut of what is now known as the Range Rover GT.

For now, all we know for certain is that proportion, function and form are getting a grand shake-up for the first time in Range Rover’s history.

RangeRover.com, @RangeRover

As already noted, 2026 marks a quarter century since Aston Martin debuted its Vanquish model. Over three generations, Vanquish has been the flag-bearer for the brand’s front-engined, V12-powered silhouette ethos, a role it continues with the current model, in both coupe and Volante convertible form.

Now there’s to be a limited run edition to mark those 25 years, with 25 examples of each variant produced to an exacting specification put together by the company’s bespoke department, Q by Aston Martin.

Vanquish 25 is the kind of limited edition that only a select group of car collectors would look to acquire, usually with the aspiration that scarcity will equal added value at some point down the line. If they can resist the urge to stash the car in the automotive equivalent of bubble wrap, then they’ll also be acquiring one of the great modern sports cars.

Vanquish 25 shares the mechanical attributes of the ‘regular’ car – a 5.2-litre Twin-Turbo V12 putting out 835PS and capable of hitting 62mph from rest in 3.3 seconds. The Vanquish also has a top speed of a scarcely credible 214mph yet cloaks this power and performance in an incredibly elegant body shape that’s one of the marque’s most effective designs for years.

The stats might not have changed, but the details are certainly different. One of the inspirations behind the new bespoke livery, details and finish is the original Aston Martin Vanquish, produced from 2001 to 2007. Silver is the dominant colour on the exterior, along with three different interior trims - Oxford Tan (shown here), Onyx Black, and Phantom Grey. Customers can also opt for the 2+2 or 2+0 seating configuration, the latter providing more space for luggage.

The paintwork is finished in Q Skye Silver with special Q Commission metal foil detailing on the car’s side sills and shield vanes. Unique badging and slightly fettled wheel shapes and bespoke Aston Martin script foil detailing are the unique elements to look out for, while inside there’s a new set of trim patterns and laser-etched inlays. The start button has been rendered with a bright red top and in the coupe model the headlining is trimmed in black Alcantara.

These might seem like subtle uplifts but to the collector – and those who feel a close connection with Vanquishes old and new – they’re enough to give this grandest of grand tourers an attention-attracting makeover.

‘Anyone familiar with this iconic British brand knows the provenance of the name ‘Vanquish’ in our modern history,’ says Vittorio Gabba, Head of Q at Aston Martin, ‘Vanquish 25 builds on the extraordinary achievements of the modern, third-generation Vanquish with a carefully curated package of exterior and interior features that subtly celebrate this important milestone in our history.’

The model will be shown first at California’s Monterey Car Week, a prime spot for collectors and enthusiasts, old money and new.

Aston Martin Vanquish 25, for more information visit AstonMartin.com, @AstonMartin

Range Rover continues to edge itself upmarket, emphasising the company’s ability to customise in order to meet the most exacting client requirements. In addition to its Bespoke division, the company also has a Classic division, establish to cater to the growing number of customers who want to keep venerable machines on the road or simply source a beautiful restoration. Based in Coventry, it has its own dedicated team of engineers able to enhance and update earlier models.

Range Rover is obviously not alone in this endeavour. Third party companies have been eyeing up the original Series 1 Range Rover, with its iconic proportions and modernist edges. From the Lunaz EV conversion to the Twisted TRCC and Vinile’s Range Rover Classic, there’s plenty of competition.

Perhaps that’s why Range Rover has upped the ante with this delectable ‘Matched Pair’, a twin pack of bespoke craftsmanship that brings together a fully restored 1993 Range Rover Classic with a contemporary Range Rover SV Ultra. The former underwent a 2,000-hour restoration and has been trimmed and painted to be a complementary pair.

Both cars are finished in Titan Silver, with an interior trimmed in Ultrafabrics, an animal-free supplier used by Range Rover. This is the first time this material has been used in the Classic programme; both cars feature the SV Ultra duo-tone Orchid White and Cinder Grey colourway.

Other matching trim elements include the laser crafted seat patterns and mosaic perforations across each interior, and duo-tone steering wheel finishes. The door trims are also bespoke items, with brushed aluminium handles and colour-matched speaker covers.

The Classic model has been treated to Satin Platinum Atlas 16” wheels complete with diamond turned contrast rims, somewhat smaller than the 23” wheels found on the contemporary SV Ultra.

The 1993 car was originally an American market County Edition. In addition to the re-trimming and interior finishes, the Range Rover Classic has been fully mechanically uprated and rebuilt – from the 3.9-litre V8 through to the transmission, suspension, steering and braking systems.

The ensemble, which will be on display at the 2026 Monterey Car Week ahead of being offered through RM Sotheby's The Monterey Auction in August 2026, showcases the company’s ability to custom match specific colour and trim elements, regardless of the age of the vehicle in question.’

According to Dominic Elms, Director of Land Rover Classic, the project ‘shows how it is possible to create a truly individualised Range Rover with our bespoke service, whether it’s a custom colour palette, interior trim or personalised details.’

Things have been quiet on the Range Rover front in recent years but behind the scenes there’s frantic activity as new generation models and technologies cue up. Right now, the family consists of the flagship Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Range Rover Velar and Range Rover Evoque. The company is also on the cusp of launching all-electric versions of the Range Rover and, in a surprise move, the Range Rover Sport.

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Aficionados, innovators and the comfortably moneyed but innately curious will get an early chance to get their hands on the new Ferrari Luce, courtesy of this summer’s RM Sotheby’s Auction at Monterey Car Week. Ferrari is presenting the first production Luce off the line, Chassis 0, for auction at the auctioneer's August sale, conjuring up a unique specification for this special car.

This unique first edition of the Luce was overseen by Ferrari’s Tailor Made programme, a service that is open to every customer across all Ferrari models. Luce will be no different, and the specification of this one-off car is but a small dip in the ocean in terms of what can be achieved.