This was the year that EVs went thoroughly mainstream, even as political dithering dented the emphasis on the urgency of the need to switch from ICE. There were still a few notable novelties in the latter sphere, perhaps buoyed by mixed official messaging and the belief that fossil fuels somehow deserved a future in the hands of the well-heeled. Whilst we thoroughly enjoyed the latest from Ferrari, Maserati, and Aston Martin, there’s an undeniable feeling of an era drawing to a close. Will the old guard manage to rewrite the rule book, or will new brands without the heavy drag of heritage be able to get ahead? Peruse our picks of 2023 (in no particular order)…
Top 10 cars of 2023
01. Audi e-tron GT
Audi e-tron GT quattro, 2023
We loved Audi’s e-tron GT, a handsome grand tourer that shows that premium electric cars need not be about over-powered hypercars or hefty SUVs. Expect a face-lifted and lightly upgraded version of the GT to break cover in 2024 – we’re looking forward to it.
02. Hyundai Ioniq 6
Hyundai Ioniq 6
Hyundai kept up its current winning streak with the sleek Ioniq 6, a streamlined electric saloon that showed that design could be bold and different without alienating anyone.
03. Volkswagen ID.Buzz
Volkswagen ID. Buzz and ID. Buzz Cargo
VW has a hit on its hands with the ID.Buzz, a flexible MPV that’s equally at home as a car or a commercial vehicle. The high-riding driving position and acres of space recall the original VW Combi and 2024 should see 7-seater and campervan variants arrive.
04. Rolls-Royce Spectre
Rolls-Royce Spectre
Rolls-Royce spoiled us with the all-electric Spectre, a mighty achievement that goes straight to the top of the luxury wish-list. Serene, majestic yet also sprightly and long-legged, the vast coupé epitomises the company’s long-held ethos.
05. Lotus Eletre
Lotus Eletre
The Lotus Eletre follows the familiar playbook for all-new electric auto brands; start with a sizeable SUV and eventually downscale. Only Lotus is no start-up. The Eletre might not demonstrate the venerable sports car maker’s historic passion for lightness, but it’s a truly convincing piece of kit. Next year sees the arrival of the new Emeya electric saloon.
06. Ferrari Roma Spider
Ferrari Roma Spider
Ferrari threw open the roads of Sardinia for the launch of its beautiful Roma Spider, reasoning that the media would look most kindly on the car if it was in its natural environment. It succeeded; in the right location, the Spider encapsulates la dolce vita.
07. Aston Martin DB12
Aston Martin DB12
Something of a glorious anachronism, the DB12 is the automotive equivalent of a long-running film franchise that manages to stay fresh and relevant with each release. Essentially an uprated and restyled DB11, the DB12 retains the essential elements of beauty and brawn, only now it’s a little more user friendly.
08. Maserati MC20
Maserati MC20
The MC20 was a mild surprise for long-time followers of Italian manufacturer Maserati. Just when it seemed the company had sacrificed over a century of history on the altar of the dreaded SUV, it came out with this magnificent mid-engined supercar. Old-school cool in all the right ways. 2024 marks Maserati’s 110th birthday, so expect some kind of four-wheeled celebration.
09. Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale
Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale
Another modern Italian masterpiece, the 33 Stradale is a strictly limited-edition hypercar. Unveiled back in August, it pointed to a mini design renaissance for the firm, once the unrivalled masters of making beautiful cars at every price point. If just 10 per cent of the 33 Stradale’s good looks make it into the next all-electric generation of Alfa road cars, the company’s future looks bright.
10. David Brown Automotive Mini eMastered
Mini eMastered by David Brown Automotive
Finally, a leftfield choice that merges truly iconic design with up-to-the-minute technology. DBA’s Mini eMastered is both strikingly brilliant and fantastically expensive. The ultimate luxury city car?
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A rammed-earth house near Brasília pairs the traditional technique with contemporary formsValéria Gontijo + Architects has completed Casa Tapia, pairing earthy tones and natural materials with refined design and a generous floorplan
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Pantone’s new public art installation is a tribute to Coldplay’s ‘Yellow’, 20 years after its releaseThe colour company has created a – you guessed it – yellow colour swatch on some steps in Wembley Park, London, where the band will play ten shows this month
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Cult classic ‘Teenagers in Their Bedrooms’ captures the angst of being a teenAre 1990s teens so different? Three decades after its original release, this photography book by Adrienne Salinger has been published again, by DAP
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Compact but far from cuddly, the Abarth 600e is a small but shouty EV with a sting in its tailAbarth’s second performance electric car, the 600e ramps up the branding to make a bold statement inside and out
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Genesis adds electrification to the G80 and favours long-limbed, chauffeur-loving ownersThe Electrified G80 is Genesis’s flagship model, a refined EV saloon that brings Bentley-level refinement without costing the earth
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How design defined Audi: the brand celebrates 60 years with a collection of its greatest hitsA fleet of iconic Audis, the flowing lines of Frank Gehry’s architecture and the open roads of Northern Spain made for a design-rich experience
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It’s Tesla vs Rivian as two new brand-centric charge stations highlight divides in EV attitudesHollywood’s shiny new Tesla Diner is a world apart from the Rivian's latest station, the Hamptons Charging Outpost
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The raucous Hyundai Ioniq 5N EV has the sound and feel of an old school sports carHyundai is an unlikely saviour of the sporting EV, finding new ways of transforming the sheer power of electrification into an engaging, albeit old school, driver’s car
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All the best bits from Goodwood Festival of Speed 2025As car makers switch their allegiance to the sunny West Sussex countryside as a place to showcase their wares, a new generation of sports cars were sent running up that famous hill
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Comfort, kit and enduring aesthetics make the Hyundai Santa Fe utilitarian and upmarketTough looks conceal premium features as Hyundai takes its plug-in hybrid SUV upmarket. Wallpaper* tries out the stylish new South Korean 7-seater
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Aston Martin goes goth, ramping up power, poise and dark glamour with the new Vantage SThese moody images mark the debut of the latest model out of Gaydon, the dynamically focused Aston Martin Vantage S
