Review: 2027 Ferrari Amalfi

By Basem Wasef –  February 15, 2026

Review: 2027 Ferrari Amalfi

Of all the Ferrari models named after oh-so-Italian locales – for example, Modena, Maranello, Fiorano – among the most leisurely is Amalfi. Despite its sun-drenched association, Ferrari’s latest GT is more stylistically aggressive than the Roma it replaces and, unlike the idyllic coastal village of its namesake, the new model is a more focused evolution of the front-engine grand tourer. Gone is the predecessor’s tapered nose and perforated grille that suggest sensual sculpture and quiet luxury; Amalfi’s front end leverages the 12Cilindri’s more complex execution that features a so-called floating grille that frames a band of negative space, a mesh lower portion that hides sensors, and discreetly integrated air intakes. Added airflow is a welcome addition because Amalfi’s 3.9-liter, twin-turbo V8 now produces 631 horsepower, up from 611, thanks to better breathing, lighter camshafts, and bigger turbos that now spin at 171,000 rpm. The flat-plane engine’s redline rises to 7,600 rpm. Other updates include the advanced ABS EVO brake-by-wire system as found in the 296, Side Slip Angle Control 6.1, and a 3-position active rear spoiler that replaces the 2-position unit in the Roma and delivers up to 242 pounds of downforce. While the Amalfi’s restyling is arguably subjective, one objective improvement can be found in its ergonomic improvements. Critically, the haptic surfaces on the steering wheel, which were prone to unintended commands, are now physical switches. The haptically actuated Engine Start/Stop surface at 6 o’clock is also (thankfully) gone, replaced by a physical button at 8 o’clock. The central touchscreen also switches from a portrait view to a more elegantly integrated landscape setup. In contrast to the busier exterior bits and bobs, the cabin now feels sleeker with anodized aluminum central tunnel and door cards whose planar surfaces resemble minimalist sculpture. One favorite feature: Amalfi’s rectangular key, which slides and lays flush within a perfectly sized recess within the central tunnel. It’s important to remember that Amalfi doesn’t posture as a balls-to-the-wall performance proposition (see: 849 Testarossa) or a nimble pugilist (witness: 296 GTB), but rather a plush, road- trip ready boulevardier that features soft-close doors and available comfort seats with 10 air chambers that offer a variety of massage styles. My test drive is staged in Portugal’s Algarve region. What the setting lacks in dolce vita it makes up for in winding mountain roads and untouched coastal vistas. The tone is set nicely, thanks to the mechanical click of the Start button and reassuringly unobtrusive thanks to the steering wheel’s physical buttons, which are no longer haptic minefields of annoyance. The V8 is incrementally quieter than before due to tightening sound restrictions and now routes exhaust gases through a ceramic matrix catalyst lined with rhodium, platinum and palladium. A new bypass valve also applies dedicated maps depending on driving mode, so the more aggressive Manettino settings (like Sport and Race) yield a proportionally louder exhaust note when the V8 pushed to higher RPMs. There’s a cozy snugness to the Amalfi interior, perhaps because both the driver and passenger enjoy dedicated instrument panels with the more discreetly embedded central touchscreen offering a neutral in-between space. The dual-cockpit theme is similarly executed in the 12Cilindri, and extends some autonomy to the passenger via the letterboxed touchscreen which can display multimedia, navigation, or vehicle setting and performance data. <- Gallery -> Amalfi’s interior aesthetic is cleaned up like a Marie Kondo closet, integrating air vents into each of the dual cockpit features and removing superfluous contours. There is, however, perhaps a bit too much form over function with most of the HVAC controls being embedded into the central touchscreen’s menu system; what could have been a quick adjustment via a toggle or a switch requires tapping a virtual button and interrupting driving directions in order to fine-tune the fan setting. Amalfi feels silky smooth under most driving circumstances, transmitting little of road’s major imperfections through the suspension while never feeling loose or cushy. When the going gets jouncy, the driver can push the Manettino in for a ‘Bumpy Road’ setting that softens the ride. Parking garages and driveways are now more manageable thanks to an available nose lift which raises the front end by 1.5 inches at speeds up to 22 mph. Leave it in automatic mode and the 8-speed transaxle shifts early, resulting in subdued acceleration commensurate to the model’s entry level positioning; according to Ferrari, Amalfi slots below the Purosangue, 12Cilindri, 296 GTB, and 849 Testarossa, in that order. Select manual mode via a small, elegant toggle switch on the center console, and the twin-turbo V8’s free-spinning power is far more easily accessed. There’s quite a bit of torque available in the midrange, particularly as the maximum twist of 560 lb-ft peaks all the way from 3,000 to 5,750 rpm. While Wet mode smoothed out the power delivery while I negotiated a rain-soaked stretch in the Serra de Monchique mountain range, quick throttle jabs in Sport mode sent wheel-spinning power to the rear, serving as a reminder that the 631-horsepower V8 can transform from genteel to feisty with a simple stab of the right pedal. Incremental improvements across the board help broaden the Amalfi’s capabilities, starting with the implementation of the ABS EVO system launched in the 296 and carried over to the Purosangue and 12Cilindri. The new brake-by-wire system enables stopping to occur with 1/3 less pedal travel, and the brakes also coordinate with stability control to manage vehicle dynamics by applying the brakes individually. Wheel slip is also managed by Side Slip Control 6.1, which oversees everything from steering and power delivery and suspension stiffness. If all that jargon is overwhelming, think of it this way: Amalfi feels more deft and controllable at the limit without sacrificing Ferrari’s familiar steering characteristics of light effort and high accuracy. The starter Ferrari feels like it works harmoniously well as a system, with throttle, steering, suspension and brakes all meeting in the middle to make the driver feel quick, confident – and yes, sexy. While nostalgia addicts may lean toward the outgoing Roma for its smoother, more unified lines, the Amalfi’s mechanical refinements and power stoke desire for the new kid on the block. Though the vastly improved steering wheel controls might lead some to swear off the Roma forever, Ferrari says they’re working on a way to enable the new wheel to be retrofitted to the outgoing model. Who says you can’t have it (almost) all? View All Ferraris For Sale Images: Ferrari

Read more
First Drive: 2026 Aston Martin Vantage S

By Michael Van Runkle –  February 02, 2026

First Drive: 2026 Aston Martin Vantage S

by Michael Teo Van Runkle Late last year, Aston Martin updated the DBX SUV to a new S specification. The typical treatment of more power, refined handling, and subtle stylistic enhancements all combined to vault my favorite super SUV another significant notch up the performance spectrum. Now for 2026, the Vantage coupe fittingly joins the S ranks with a similar, if not quite identical, suite of improvements that further fine-tune the sportiest model in Aston’s core lineup.  Constant improvements always fit into the mix at the upper echelons of the automotive industry. In this case, the unexpected rollout timing came about once early DBX lease returns started cropping up on the horizon. The Vantage coupe’s original debut fit into a slightly delayed schedule, so more recently, Aston held a drive program in Malibu to prove whether the latest and greatest S banks on marginal gains or truly steps up to another level of exotic appeal. My tester featured a number of cosmetic cues that clearly hint at the revisions. Plenty of subtle S badging, of course, but also a new rear spoiler and twin blades rising out of the hood heat extractors. Optional red-painted wheel faces match red brake rotors, while inside, the S embroidered on the seats matches a new red drive mode knob and red piping for the semi-alinine upholstery. The real question, as always, came down to whether any performance gains can match the stylistic enhancements. In this case, the S package adds another 15 horsepower to the twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 for a peak rating of 671 ponies – but an identical torque rating of 590 lb-ft as the non-S. With so much gut punch already available out of the base engine, attempting to truly discern about two percent more power via the seat of my pants felt somewhat silly. The thrill of hammering the Vantage already overwhelms the senses entirely, so a tenth of a second quicker to 60 miles an hour means slightly less amid such truly stupendous acceleration. Aston attributes that modest improvement in pace mostly to revised software calibration. Changes include new accelerator pedal tuning and shorter torque interruptions during shifts from the eight-speed transaxle between the rear wheels. But with the windows rolled down, I also thought I noticed a bit more whine from the turbos spooling up to match slightly more rumble from the exhaust than I remembered previously. Really, whether launching in a straight line or hustling through the hills of Malibu, the base Vantage already pushed well past limits of tire grip anyhow. And that’s where a host of other changes that complement the power bump make more of a dynamic difference. If I ever criticized the base Vantage, the slightly numb and light steering probably came to mind first. The electric assist just seemed to lack the granular and communicative feedback that the rest of the chassis deserved. At least the light steering weight helped rein in the Vantage’s eminently tail-happy demeanor, since sliding around at two-thirds throttle with the traction control fully activated regularly required quick flicks of countersteering to control. Luckily, the balance of a front-engine and rear transaxle layout effectively turn this two-door GT into something that approaches the cornering capability of a mid-engined supercar. For the S, Aston aimed to enhance the engagement factor without losing the refinement of a British grand tourer. And yet surprisingly, steering revisions counted for less than on the DBX S, where new wheel hub mounting points for the tie rod ends entirely changed the character of the SUV. Instead, the Vantage S uses revised shock damper tuning and stiffer suspension mounting points, as well as – counterintuitively – 10% softer bushings cradling that transaxle between the rear wheels. Reduced rear springs, aids, and a stiffer rear sway bar further increase the overall chassis rigidity by five percent, all in an attempt to create a bit more rotation around the driver seat. The steering modestly hones in tighter with increased negative camber for the alignment specs, a minor change that admittedly left me somewhat surprised after Aston’s brief technical presentation. As I meandered out to my steed for the day, I also worried whether the whole package might result in too much stiffness, which sometimes means excessive suffering on subpar roads. Not so for the Vantage S, which definitely rides firmer but never to the point of discomfort. Combined with the damper adjustments, the slightly stanced front tires do improve steering fidelity – especially once I turned up into some of my favorite canyon roads on the planet. Here, I  spun the drive mode dial from Sport to Sport+ and then through to Track. That pleasing piece of knurled metal can also turn into a discreetly adjustable traction control knob, while the transaxle held gears longer to help the V8 roar higher into the rev range. Once I started rolling up these roads at borderline ridiculous pace, the new chassis capability came on full display. Previously, the base Vantage struggled with almost too much slip and slide. Hammer the brakes or turn too tightly or feather a micrometer too far into throttle, and the tail end almost immediately stepped out. So much so that turning off the traction and stability control made the most sense, if only in the name of predictability. The new S demonstrated far more progressive behavior, especially cornering and pushing out on straights while allowing the engine to overwhelm grip. Little hits of tire squeal, therefore, become less surprising and easier to catch, as the transition to oversteer now comes with a grin rather than an anxious expectation, the almost telepathic steering bordering on the level of DBX S despite the seemingly milder revisions. This unlocks a new level of engagement with the traction control knob, too, which in this case actually becomes useful while playing with settings 1-8 or fully off, adding a sense of safety amid the revelry. If anything, this newly reassuring character from such an already appealing sports car definitely makes the new Vantage worthy of an S badge. And the pricing still shocks – in a good way. Yet another Aston Martin where comparisons to the competition make less than no sense. The Vantage S now starts at about two-thirds the price of a new 2026 Porsche 911 Turbo, and on the lower side of the $200,000 mark from a Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S coupe. Some of the optional S gear on my car contributed to a total MSRP of $258,900 – most importantly, the carbon-ceramic brakes ($10,800) that exhibited endless bite to haul down my excessive speeds while approaching the tightest canyon switchbacks this side of Southern France. Outside of a few lingering inconsistencies with Apple CarPlay Ultra and wishing for more carbon trim inside to replace some of the piano black plastic on the center console, finding any faults with Aston’s power, position, and prestige requires nitpicking the Vantage S to the Nth degree. Such a sense of innate performance and exotic design out of a restrained gunmetal “Aluminite Silver” over Black Onyx coupe proves how much the S treatment only reinvigorates the already stunning Vantage, setting another standard within an increasingly impressive lineup. View All Aston Martin Vantage For Sale Images: Aston Martin, Michael Tao Van Runkle

Read more
Review: Electrogenic EV-Swapped Land Rover Defender

By duPont REGISTRY –  February 01, 2026

Review: Electrogenic EV-Swapped Land Rover Defender

by Michael Teo Van Runkle In a muddy, windswept airfield northwest of London, two classic Land Rover Defenders sit facing each other on a low hillock. One, an immaculately restored four-door replete with sumptuous leathers and lacquered woodgrain. The other, more of a rough-and-tumble two-door military truck entirely lacking any of its companion’s luxury trappings. Both ride high with lifted suspension over knobby tires, to enhance the classic Defender’s off-road capability – and yet neither clatters around with a clattering diesel engine or a primitive Rover V8. Instead, these two Landies both serve as testbeds for Electrogenic, a British firm that specializes in producing software-defined EV conversion kits for a wide range of classic cars. But how does a newly sustainable vintage 4x4 actually drive off-road? This past January, I battled my way through a frigid British winter to find out. Other notable makes and models in the Electrogenic portfolio include E-Type Jaguars, DeLoreans, Porsches, the Mazda Miata, and Mini Coopers – the latter of which won Top Gear’s “Retro Hero” award in 2024. Those low-slung sports cars might feature significantly better aerodynamics for an EV conversion than the upright Defender, and yet the opportunity to replace a sluggish, underpowered internal-combustion engine (and all of its deleterious emissions considerations) still proves highly popular among Electrogenic’s customers. The EV swap improves a Defender’s throttle response, low-end torque production, and ease of driving for city runabouts, exploration vehicles, or farm rigs where livestock might startle less easily, thanks to silent operation. The job sounds complex – and yet Electrogenic’s goal from the get-go involved making a swap and recommissioning as painless as possible.  At the company’s shop, I ducked my head under the hood of multiple builds underway – many of them secrets, thus far – and witnessed how the bolt-in electric powertrain requires no cutting, sawing, or drilling into the original Defender body or chassis. Every part bolts into original mounting points, from the battery pack under the hood to the electric motor that mates with the four-wheel-drive transfer case. Electrogenic claims a conversion can take an experienced shop less than a week, a believable timeframe, especially given that Top Gear actually sent an inexperienced journalist to do the Mini Cooper swap in only one day. The kit comes with all high-voltage work handled for the 93-kilowatt-hour battery pack, controller hardware, and the 150-kilowatt motor.  In more traditional terms, the electric motor pumps 201 horsepower and a prodigious 663 lb-ft torque into the transfer case, effectively replacing the internal-combustion engine and transmission with a single unit. All the modern electrical hardware and wiring harnesses still needed to communicate with the classic Defender components, though, so Electrogenic developed new wiring and running gear in-house, the latter of which passes 43 destructive tests for European road legality. Even the reduction gearsets, end caps, and output shafts come included. Electrogenic built this specific Defender 110 a year and a half ago, and uses the rig as a testbed for abuse. Other than the restored cosmetics and EV conversion, the truck also features a two-inch lift with Fox Racing shock dampers and a set of Wilwood brakes to haul down speed given the newfound power. Not that I drove particularly fast in the mud and muck. Instead, the electric motor’s throttle modulation quickly emerged as the most impressive part of the build. In slippery mud or when marching up gravel climbs, too much instantaneous electric torque might break the tires loose and cause slippage. Instead, rather than tuning for the kind of neck-snapping acceleration that makes a Lucid Air Sapphire or Tesla Model S Plaid so utterly brutal, Electrogenic let my right foot do the grunt of the work. In four-low, a stalk on the lower right side of the steering column even controls hill descent using regenerative braking. Meanwhile, the impressive articulation made possible by the Defender’s solid axles, front and rear, carries over. This allows for the use of locking differentials because the electric motor sends power to the transfer case, then on to the original axles – more articulation means the tires stay in contact with the ground more, which results in the electrons steadily pushing the Defender through challenging areas of traction. The full E93 kit adds about 150 kilograms (or 330 pounds) to the curb weight, due to the large battery pack. But the Landie never felt too top-heavy nor tippy, in deeply rutted “elephant tracks” this electric rig just kept silently carrying on, slow and steady at lean angles that brought out a few gasps, cross-axled to the max yet still able to find enough traction in the mud to put down that newfound power. I even enjoyed a bit of ripping around on wet grass, somewhat silly given that the Landie was not traditionally a high-speed 4x4. Here, the nicely weighted and not terribly imprecise steering, for a solid front axle truck, helped with feel and confidence. The rest of the time when not in four-low, that same stalk on the steering column allows for the selection of three drive modes: Eco, Normal, and Sport. Electrogenic programs different regenerative braking levels for both, and the ECU even adjusts regen response based on how quickly I lifted my foot off the brake pedal. That’s a nifty detail, and reveals how much the firm believes in reaching an OEM level of thought – and software programming. <- Gallery -> Just about the single most critical detail, for a quintessential British January, the seat heaters still worked! The fit and finish also stood out as impressively refined. Under the hood, a big box of batteries replaces the original internal-combustion engine, with a clean and only modestly futuristic aesthetic. Orange high-voltage lines run visibly along the ladder frame, and inside, only the billet gear selector knob, with a very gentle shift action, differentiates this EV from any other restomodded Defender. On-road, the body proved surprisingly devoid of creaks and rattles, though I picked up a bit of wind and tire noise since the electric motor runs far quieter. A faint buzz from the electric power steering pump crept in at times, too, though the original geometry of the solid front axle leaves little in the way of improvement to the Defender’s abysmal turning radius. Still, I can definitely call the EV swap a worthy tradeoff from a powertrain perspective. This truck gets up to speed easily, and even puts out a solid punch in Sport mode to make overtaking on British B-roads a cinch – rather than formerly requiring miles of visibility ahead, planning, and downshifting to wrangle enough power and acceleration out of such a lumbering old truck. In that regard, the military build served as a project to explore how electric capability might be relevant to the troops. Of course, stealth and silence come to mind – as well as a reduced heat signature for nighttime operations where enemy combatants might use thermal imagery. But Electrogenic also claims the EV swap reduces driver fatigue, precisely because the powertrain takes so much less mental effort to actually drive. No more constant shifting, adjusting throttle, worrying about fuel economy, and Jerry cans and oil leaks (though arguably, the latter does detract somewhat from the original Defender experience). Narrower and knobbier tires hint at some of the rougher details, but a lower final drive ratio and top speed, plus revised tuning with a new knob for more discrete adjustment of regen using a dial for 1-10. This helps for farm life as much as the military, where owners might be towing or reversing down a hill rather than evading adversaries. On both, Electrogenic retained the original gauges to make driving as familiar as possible for buyers accustomed to ICE Defenders, though they’re now computer-controlled, which does provide the option to switch to a fully digital display. The sense of familiarity applied most to the more coiffed restomod. I didn’t need a lecture or lesson; I just climbed right in and drove for a few hours without worrying about range or modes or settings.  Whether the military can run the risk of troops burning through charge remains another question—and I didn’t get to drive far enough, fast enough to truly test Electrogenic’s range claims. Still, no matter how much fun a Corvette V8 swap might sound for a Defender, that kind of raw power and roaring performance runs somewhat anathema to this iconic vehicle’s original character. Covered in mud, spraying flecks of grit and grime everywhere, cutting grass all day with the front skid plate and trailer hitch, the Electrogenic builds revealed exactly where the best aspects of a Defender can benefit from the best aspects of EV life. And though any shop with a semblance of know-how, as well as any backyard mechanic with the inclination, can perform the swap, Electrogenic recommends that American customers contact partners InoKinetic in Southern California and Whittam Engineering in New Jersey to discuss a potential build.  Kits run around $65,000 with every single component needed to complete a swap included, or well north of six figures if a shop sources and helps to restore the donor vehicle. Alternatively, Electrogenic also takes on bespoke projects in the UK, including a Rolls-Royce Phantom II converted for actor Jason Momoa and British comedian Jimmy Carr’s electric Aston Martin DB6. I personally envision an electric Defender as perfect for running errands around town, or for a vacation house, either slope- or beachside. And the prospect of an EV-swapped vintage sports car definitely piqued my curiosity on site, even if I wound up surprised by how well an electric conversion of this caliber actually made a classic Defender significantly more appealing in the first place. View All Land Rover Defenders for Sale Images: Michael Teo Van Runkle

Read more
Review: 2026 Lexus LX 700H F SPORT Handling

By Charles Bradley –  January 31, 2026

Review: 2026 Lexus LX 700H F SPORT Handling

At duPont REGISTRY, we don’t normally include crash testing as part of our luxury vehicle product reviews, but sometimes life throws you lemons – or, in my case, an 18-wheeled Amazon Prime semi-truck hurled a tire carcass straight into the nose of my Lexus LX 700h F SPORT at speed on the interstate. I got no warning – not even the car’s Pre-Collision System had time to react – and I barely registered what was actually happening as I slipped in behind the truck to make an exit for fuel. But in a cruel twist of timing, during the three seconds I spent tucked in behind it on a four-hour journey, one of Jeff Bezos’s juggernauts blew a tire directly in front of me at 65 mph. The carcass flew off its wheel, slamming into the nose, hood and windshield of my Lexus with a terrifying B-A-N-G! – the force so violent it launched what was left of the tire over my roof and also over the Kia directly behind me (that motored serenely on). Amazingly, the car was still operational, so I pulled into the gas station to survey the damage and what I thought would be an inevitable phone call to a wrecker truck. Imagine my surprise that the car was not only still in one piece, as you can see above, it had stood up incredibly well to the massive impact. According to the internet, even a truck tread can weigh 30 lbs, while a full carcass would be somewhere between ~50-80 lb. As I said, I only had a split-second view – and it sure looked like the whole thing just tore off and got flipped directly into my car’s front end and windshield. Among the rash of impact evidence, there was one deep scrape across the hood that was down to the metal – remember truck tires aren’t just rubber, they include multiple steel belts – but the hood was completely intact, although its lovely paintwork was all scuffed to heck. The only component that was in any way wobbly was the ‘L’ in the middle of the front fascia – which proved it was a direct hit! It’s not my first rodeo in terms of being hit by high-speed truck debris, but it is the first time that I simply checked the damage and gassed-up the car – as my heart rate got back to somewhere near normal – then drove on my way, rather than had to arrange that dreaded tow to the nearest dealer. And, about a few miles later along the I-95, you can imagine my face as I came upon that same Amazon Prime truck that was limping along in a cloud of smoke from its blown tire. Of course, I took the correct course of action by slowing down next to this dude, opening my window and… greeted him with a cheery wave – or something. He was laying a huge trail of debris in his wake – these guys must have shares in auto repair shops! Apart from these interstate wounds, and a tiny chip in the windscreen, the car was fully driveable – which was handy, because I was still about 150 miles from home when this happened. My trip had been to spend the weekend with Lexus Racing at the Daytona 24 Hours, and seeing their cool RC F race cars (below) in the pitlane after the grueling event – all scuffed-up with tiremarks from the ‘marbles’ that comes off racing tires – that must’ve been a portent of what was to come! Before that, my experience of the LX 700h F SPORT had been just swell, and you can read a full review of its Overtrail sister variant here. Priced at $118,950, my F SPORT-trimmed version arrived in Manganese Luster exterior and a beautiful red/black leather interior, with an appearance package that featured color-keyed lower front and rear bumper accents, black outside mirror covers, black rear spoiler winglets, and color-keyed running board accents. It also wore 22-inch forged aluminum wheels, and an F mesh design spindle grille with jet-black chrome grille frame, while inside you get F SPORT-crafted seats and embossed headrests, which retains the massage functionality – which came in useful after a stressful driving situation! Assisted by a nickel-metal hydride battery, the LX 700h boasts a twin-turbocharged 3.4-liter V6 engine paired with a 10-speed Direct Shift Automatic Transmission. This combined hybrid system produces 457 horsepower, 583 lb.-ft of torque, and an EPA-estimated combined fuel economy rating of 20 MPG. It packed plenty of power, while tuned front and rear performance dampers, plus a Torsen LSD and a rear stabilizer, brought some handling chops to this gigantic, three-row SUV. I found it handled much better when I’d put the Active Height Control to its lowest rideheight setting, which was the mere push of a button, as it arrived looking like it was about to embark on the Dakar Rally rather than a trip to Daytona. The cockpit was typical Lexus, with lots of luxury features at your fingertips. Not quite sure why it needed two touchscreens, and the larger 12.3-inch display at the top was literally a stretch if you needed to select something on the right-hand side for the navigation system. The 7-inch lower touchscreen was much closer within reach, but is primarily for climate control. Drive modes ranged from Normal, ECO, Comfort, Custom, Sport S, and Sport S+ – the latter in particular a lot of fun when you wanted to surge away at the lights, or around the bends after a rest stop, and that came in unison with a more performance-focused dashboard mode that just featured a long rev counter. While the Lexus LX 700h F SPORT provides a luxury SUV that eats up the miles, the main gripe I had with it was the small size of its gas tank. Due to its hybrid battery requirement, you lose about three gallons from the capacity, and the biggest number I saw on the trip computer was 275 miles after a fill. Even running in ECO mode, that turned my usual one-stop strategy for a run to Daytona from Miami into a two-stopper – and it was this second stop that led to my fateful meeting with the truck tire… The hybrid also reduces the trunk space, which becomes pretty small if you have the electrically operated third row seats up. But I must end this review by saying I have Lexus to thank for keeping me safe; they sure build them strong in Japan, and there's not another car I'd rather place my trust in such a situation that I faced on that fateful drive back from Daytona. View All Lexus LX For Sale Images: Charles Bradley, Lexus

Read more
Review: 2026 Ferrari 12Cilindri Spider

By Bradley Iger –  January 24, 2026

Review: 2026 Ferrari 12Cilindri Spider

As forced induction and electrification continue democratize horsepower throughout the automotive industry, luxury automakers have faced a growing challenge: how do you make an exotic machine feel special at a point in time when even mainstream vehicles offer jaw-dropping performance?  Ferrari, to its notable credit, has answered this question in part by staying at the forefront of the latest technologies, as evidenced by cutting-edge entries like the SF90 and F80 – both of which utilize performance-tuned hybrid systems in conjunction with turbocharged engines and sophisticated all-wheel-drive setups. While those two mid-engine monsters offer truly stunning capability, there’s also a growing contingent of performance enthusiasts who yearn for the simpler days of long, curvaceous hoods, rear-wheel drive propulsion, and the banshee wail of a high-winding 12-cylinder engine at full chat. And that’s precisely where the 12Cilindri Spider stakes its claim.  As the successor to the 812 Superfast, the 12Cilindri leverages clever active aerodynamics, advanced traction and stability control systems, and a trick four-wheel-steering system that manages the movement of each wheel independently to enhance cornering response, but it’s ultimately an homage to Ferrari’s storied V12 heritage. Aside from the no-nonsense name (which literally translates to “12 Cylinders”), the 12Cilindri’s exterior styling clearly takes some inspiration from the 365 GTB Daytona of the late 1960s. And rather than saddling its latest GT flagship with the complexities of bulky batteries, electric motors, turbochargers, and AWD, Ferrari has instead chosen to focus on the fundamentals that have made GT cars like the Daytona such enduring icons: elegant design, a finely honed chassis, and a truly spectacular naturally aspirated powerplant. It’s a 6.5-liter dry-sump V12 that produces 819 horsepower and revs to a searing 9,500 rpm. Ferrari only cites a deliberately ambiguous dry weight of 3,571 pounds for the Spider, which carries about 130 pounds of extra mass as compared to its coupe counterpart. But at a time when an alarming number of new performance cars are saddled with curb weights that start with a five, the potentially sub-4,000-pound 12Cilindri Spider feels lithe and unencumbered by countermeasures expressly designed to combat the laws of physics. Although its primary mission is to enable drivers to carve their way through picturesque locales at a lively pace without compromising comfort, the 12Cilindri has a notably more sports-car-like persona than the Aston Martin Vanquish – its closest rival – thanks in part to the Ferrari’s incredibly rigid chassis, dual-clutch gearbox, and earnestly performance-tuned suspension.  While the eight-speed DCT occasionally takes a beat to get things going from a dead stop, and the hunkered-down stance makes the nose-lift feature a necessity when negotiating steep driveway aprons, the 12Cilindri Spider still manages to retain an admirable level of civility around town and out on the highway.  Outfitted with a killer Burmester audio system, a retractable hard top that opens in just 14 seconds at speeds up to 28 mph, and sport seats that feature heating, ventilation, and adjustable bolstering as well as multiple massage routines, the 12Cilindri Spider can be a posh, effortless cruiser when called upon to do so.  The only glaring deficiency in this regard comes from Ferrari’s HMI implementation, which utilizes frustratingly difficult-to-use capacitive surfaces on the steering wheel and the instrument panel to control features like adaptive cruise control and mirror adjustments, along with the various functions that are accessed via the 15.6-inch digital gauge cluster. While the infotainment system looks sharp and is quick to respond to inputs, Apple CarPlay conked out on more than one occasion during the few days I spent with the car.  Nitpicks aside, one feature that definitely works as intended is the steering-wheel-mounted Manettino switch, which allows you to toggle between the available drive modes. Sport is the default, a naming decision which helps set ride quality expectations, but you can also press this switch like a button to enable Bumpy Road mode, which relaxes the adaptive dampers beyond their standard tuning for more compliance on rough pavement.  Out in the canyons, I found myself more interested in the additional drama provided by Race mode. In contrast to convention, Ferrari chose to leave the steering, throttle mapping, and brake-by-wire settings the same in the Sport and Race modes for the sake of predictable response, instead heightening the driving experience when set to the latter by easing the electronic assists, ramping up the programming for the gearbox and the electronically-controlled rear differential, and – importantly – opening up the exhaust valves.  While it’s still a little bit quieter than I’d prefer, even with the top down, the noise that this V12 makes while working its way past 9k is a soundtrack to your sweetest dreams. It took some conscious effort to stop myself from short-shifting the first few times I laid into the throttle with the gearbox in manual mode. The revs just seem to build endlessly. It’s also a decidedly different experience than what’s offered in the latest Vanquish. The Aston also features a 12-cylinder atomic bomb under its hood, but the crucial difference here is that the Vanquish’s lofty power figures are owed in part to turbocharging. This gives the Aston a substantial advantage in peak torque (738 lb-ft versus the 12Cilindri’s 500 pound-feet), but it also relegates its redline to a relatively pedestrian 7,000 rpm. The upshot is that not only does the 12Cilindri deliver a much more emotive soundtrack when you drop the hammer, it also feels significantly more buttoned down when called upon to hustle through a technical section of road. Its quick steering rack takes a moment to acclimate to, but it soon becomes apparent that the chassis, brakes, and powertrain have no problem keeping pace.  <- Gallery -> The Manettino switch also has dedicated settings for partially or completely disabling the traction and stability control systems if you’re feeling brave (or prefer to do your grand touring sideways), but the intervention is so seamless when these systems are enabled that they rarely distract from the proceedings. While the Vanquish twists and shimmies as the powertrain and the electronics have a debate over the fastest way forward, the 12Cilindri just feels more planted and easier to trust when really hauling the mail.  In an era when quadruple-digit horsepower has somehow become readily achievable for production cars, the Ferrari 12Cilindri Spider is a reminder that character and emotion aren’t attributes that can be easily quantified on a spec sheet. There will be a time – probably in the foreseeable future – where folks will gaze into the open clamshell hood of a 12Cilindri and say, "Man, they don’t make ’em like this anymore."  Like it or not, the days of the unassisted Ferrari V12 are almost certainly coming to a close. With that in mind, well-heeled traditionalists would be wise to savor the moment.  View All Ferrari 12Cilindris For Sale Images: Bradley Iger

Read more
First Ride: 2027 Mercedes-Benz S-Class

By Basem Wasef –  January 17, 2026

First Ride: 2027 Mercedes-Benz S-Class

Mercedes-Benz’s flagship sedan debuted in 1972 with the Sonderklasse designation, marking a “special class” of big four-doors differentiated for their luxury-focused exceptionalism. The first-ever S-Class Benz, internally designated as W116, ignited an arms race whose challengers became the likes of the BMW 7 Series (1977), Lexus LS (1989), Audi A8 (1994), and Porsche Panamera (2009). Competition improves the breed, and the near-future large luxury salvo from M-B comes in the form of the 2027 S-Class. The manufacturer says it underwent the most significant mid-cycle refresh ever in the pursuit of big sedan supremacy. Though its exterior tweaks are subtle – a larger grille for better cooling and revised headlamps and taillamps, an available illuminated three-pointed star hood ornament – a series of tech upgrades aim to make this the poshest S-Class to date. Cumulus Ride Quality Ride quality has always been a top priority for S-Class, and the latest/greatest upholds that claim to fame with an Airmatic suspension system that now leverages cloud-based technology to adapt to real-world conditions. By continuously downloading car-to-x data from the cloud, other Mercedes-Benzes will share real-time data about road conditions to help the S-Class anticipate potholes or surface irregularities accordingly.  An optional E-Active Body Control suspension further leverages cloud data to regulate spring and damper rates individually at each wheel to counteract roll, pitch, and lift movements, even raising the body in fractions of a second in order to anticipate impending accidents and thereby reduce injury risk. My test ride in a 2027 S-Class in Sindelfingen placed me in a camouflaged example with certain interior features hidden under cloth. However, I did experience one of the most luxurious rear seats on a chilly winter’s day, and the S-Class felt appropriately stately and secure as it maneuvered along some of the streets surrounding Mercedes-Benz’s factory. Ride quality felt buttery smooth, though it must be noted that Stuttgart’s roads are, for the most part, untouched by the potholes and rough spots that afflict most of the rest of the world. Safety upgrades include new next-gen Digital Light headlights with micro-LED technology. The headlamps are the first to offer adaptive partial high beam functionality for the first time in the US. By using a combination of camera data and map information, the automatic cornering lights react more acutely as the road turns. The S-Class is packed with as many as 15 airbags. Available rear seatbelts feature a shoulder belt that can inflate in a collision and offer three times more surface area in order to reduce the impact on the chest area. Creature Comforts Speaking of seatbelts, the new S-Class offers what Mercedes-Benz has upgraded theirs to offer a “warm embrace” via heating elements within the safety belts. First seen in the ESF 2019 experimental safety vehicle, the additional heated part can be switched on independently or linked to the heated seat switch. A new cabin air filtration system is designed to completely recirculate all interior atmosphere every 90 seconds, using multi-stage filtration to scrub out particulates and harmful elements in order to create a healthier environment for passengers. Further optional items include the Exclusive package, which offers rear seats that recline up to 37 degrees, a folding center armrest, and cushy headrests.  Opt for the Pinnacle package and rear occupants' rapid heated and ventilated seats, four additional airbags, and a wireless charger in the center armrest. Additional Pinnacle benefits include rear seat massage, neck and shoulder heating, a backrest angle of up to 43.5 degrees, the aforementioned seatbelt airbags, and seatbelt presenters. Adding to the longer-than-ever list of interior luxury items is a Burmester 4D sound system with tactile elements, up to 39 speakers, and 1,690 watts with Dolby Atmos surround. With electronics managed by Mercedes-Benz’s latest MB.OS operating system, the S-Class is being constantly refreshed by over-the-air updates to optimize everything from computing power to the user interface. Driver systems are also cloud enhanced, and a comprehensive suite of assistance hardware includes up to 10 external cameras, five radar sensors, and 12 ultrasonic sensors. Embedded video streaming apps from Disney+ and Sony Pictures Entertainment’s RIDEVU enable privacy screen viewing from the front seat or full viewing for rear seat passengers. Power to the People Mercedes-Benz’s non-AMG/non-Maybach S-Class lineup gets a new top-range motor for 2027. The new M177 EVO powering the S 580 4Matic leverages a number of refinements to yield a total of 530 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque. Thanks to improvements to the engine’s injection and breathing configuration, as well as an enhanced mild hybrid system, the flat-plane V8 promises more oomph and better emissions. The S 500 4Matic six-cylinder M 256 EVO gets a torque bump to 443 lb-ft that can overtorque briefly to 472 lb-ft when needed. Benz’s plug-in hybrid S 580e 4Matic packages the six-cylinder with an electric motor that offers up to 74 horsepower gain over its predecessor, along with smoother and more responsive power delivery. All 2027 S-Class engines use a 23-horsepower integrated starter generator, which combines with turbocharging and 48-volt electrical architecture to deliver seamless coasting, boost, and recuperation. Plus-Size Solutions The S-Class has long boasted a considerable footprint, and the 2027 edition is no exception. That said, Mercedes-Benz engineers incorporated a standard rear-steer system that turns its back wheels up to 4.5 degrees, helping aid low-speed maneuverability and high-speed stability. An optional package boosts the rear wheel turning angle to 10 degrees, which contributes to a smaller turning circle of 35.4 feet. Although my test ride in the 2027 S-Class was brief, it’s safe to say that when Mercedes-Benz’s well-heeled clientele get their hands on this more-refined-than-ever flagship it will step up the game for the rest of the industry. The bolder styling and more aggressive front end may not be for everyone, but those who take issue with the revised mug should be assuaged by the engineering improvements intended to make driving long-distance drives feel like a rather sweet cakewalk. View All Mercedes-Benz S-Class For Sale Images: Mercedes-Benz

Read more
2026 Cadillac Lyriq Review

By Michael Van Runkle –  January 10, 2026

2026 Cadillac Lyriq Review

Over the past few years in Los Angeles, I consistently started spotting more and more Cadillac Lyriq EVs. The growing popularity of Caddy’s first mass-produced EV then led to the Celestiq halo car and the electric Escalade IQ, both of which arrived with seriously luxurious amenities and price tags well into six figures, as well as the Optiq that serves as more of an entrée into the Caddy EV lineup. But the IQ range’s design language, to my eye at least, looks best on the mid-size Lyriq that somehow starts at a surprisingly reasonable price tag of $59,200. I first discovered that pricing when I looked up the base Lyriq’s window sticker after driving the Optiq. I expected higher, but General Motors clearly amortized the Ultium EV platform – that the Lyriq originally introduced – across many models and marques in the interim years, sharing development costs in the hopes of helping to keep initial pricing as low as possible and thereby entice hesitant EV customers. From the outside at least, the Lyriq looked to add similar levels of premium signaling as the Escalade IQ and Celestiq, rather than the Optiq. So, when Caddy offered me a loaner, I spent 10 days daily driving a Lyriq to learn whether the Ultium luxury treatment potentially makes this an intriguing value proposition in the luxury EV market. Electric powertrains in general cater perfectly to luxury automaking. Silent and powerful, EV motors take up much less room than gasoline engines and thereby open up large, spacious interiors perfect for cramming with premium materials and advanced tech. Nothing beats the opulent experience of a Rolls-Royce Spectre. Though sure, I might miss a powerful V8 or V12, the neighbors sure don’t! My Lyriq arrived in dual-motor Signature Sport trim, which adds black exterior cladding and a unique “grille” design (if we can call it that, given the lack of airflow into the “engine bay”). A set of 22-inch wheels and premium interior features, including tri-zone climate and a fancy head-up display, help to justify about $10,000 of additional spend above the base rear-wheel-drive single-motor Lyriq. My dual-motor Lyriq received an official 303-mile EPA range rating, despite 500 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque, but my real-world range performance, both initially and after 10 days, indicated more like 325 to 330 miles might be possible. Every Ultium EV tends to tip the scales more than comparables on the market, and the AWD Lyriq is no exception at 5,838 pounds. That sheer mass hints at the battery pack’s 102 kilowatt-hours of capacity, but also hinders any sense of punchy, brutish acceleration that other EVs from the likes of Tesla, Genesis, and Lucid always prioritize. Still, the “throttle” modulation (again, if we can call it that) will seem familiar to anyone switching over from a gas-powered car. Nudge into the go pedal and the Lyriq surges forward, happy to accelerate along with other cars or scoot away from traffic with ease. Plus, I spent most of my 10-day loan in a torrential winter rainstorm, and even with the eco-friendly Michelin Primacy tires, I still appreciated the confident traction of the dual-motor AWD system. So far, in raw performance terms, the Lyriq reminded me somewhat of the lower-spec Chevrolet EVs that share the Ultium platform. But the exterior design definitely trends more toward the cartoonishly elongated Celestiq, albeit without the mind-boggling proportions. And this two-row also thankfully takes up far less of a footprint than the behemoth Escalade IQ. Both those top-spec packages definitely take Cadillac build quality to the next level, though. The Celestiq, simply put, is the best General Motors EV to drive yet – and it better be, at that price! The electric Escalade can manage a more insane range of over 500 miles in the real world, meanwhile a critical element of the luxury equation. But the humongous SUV also rides with a sense of serenity that one of the most spectacular sound systems in the world only accentuates, along with some of the best massaging and ventilated seats on the market. (In the spirit of openness, I’d still take an Escalade V, but that’s a different story.) The Lyriq’s pricing might suggest that Celestiq and Escalade IQ levels of luxury fly out the window. And to an extent, that’s true. But compared to any other EV, this Caddy seems almost completely silent, as only the most minor hints of road noise creep in at freeway speeds or higher. The suspension tuning and large wheels toe the line between sporty and compliant, keeping the chassis planted without ever getting too choppy. Meanwhile, the interior feels roomy for both the front and back seats, plus Cadillac decided to offer a huge trunk rather than go with a third row – though partially, the massive interior cargo volume, including the little storage cubby for a charge cable or groceries beneath the rear floor, comes courtesy of eliminating a front trunk (or “frunk”) as common on other EVs. From the inside, the Lyriq’s sanctuary space initially imparts a distinct impression that the exterior surely must be larger than it seems. And parallel parking does reveal a rather wide track, but altogether this EV makes negotiating narrow streets or parking lots fairly easy. Plenty of exterior cameras and parking sensors, including a digital rearview mirror, do help since the D-pillar at the back that so clearly established the IQ lineup’s aesthetic does somewhat hinder rear visibility. And speaking of tech, my Lyriq also featured a booming AKG sound system equipped with active noise canceling and Dolby Atmos available via supported streaming apps. Though I never hit the highest highs and lowest lows, nor the crisp middles, of the Escalade, the speakers still managed that impressive feat of regularly turning familiar songs into new experiences. I also summoned all my energy not to thank the heavens for the single biggest surprise of living with the Lyriq: Unlike most GM EVs, and reportedly soon all GM vehicles, wireless Apple CarPlay worked! And Super Cruise comes standard across all 2026 Lyriqs now, so when I took some longer drives on the freeway, whether at speed or stuck in traffic, I could just push a button and watch the top of the steering wheel light up green. The ease of use that CarPlay and Super Cruise enable comes across as a major selling point for the luxurious Lyriq experience. If only because many other functions do require dipping into the curvaceous 33-inch displays, many touchscreen menus. Opening the glovebox, for example, or choosing drive modes. At least the climate controls still use physical switchgear, with a pleasing metallic set of piano keys along the lower edge of the dash. But the center console dial, as futuristic as it looks, never quite makes sense for selecting anything. Cadillac even sacrificed a stop-start button, which supposedly adds the convenience factor of simply stepping in and putting a foot on the brake pedal, whereupon the gauges and center console come to life, indicating the Lyriq is ready to drive. Then, simply put the motors in Park, get out, and lock the doors, and the EV should turn off – but I say “should” because this regularly did not happen. I tried many times, and even one night left the car “running” (in silence, with the headlights on but the doors locked) to see what happened. The solution to this frequent quandary involves either going for a short drive to reset the computer’s conception of when to turn off or tapping a new widget in the touchscreen, then confirming that the car should, in fact, turn off. Whether this increasingly digitized driving experience enhances or detracts from the luxury experience probably comes down to a matter of taste. Living with the Lyriq for a longer period, I might even acclimate to some of the more unexpected functions that I struggled with over 10 days. I also found myself wishing for a slightly softer suspension setting, for a smoother ride—and would therefore advise a Lyriq with the smallest wheels possible, a set of 20-inchers that comes on lower trims, even if that means sacrificing style points in the name of increased suppleness. Skipping the 22-inch rims might preclude the Signature Sport from consideration, which I can justify because the lower trims now include CarPlay and Super Cruise for model year 2026. Luckily, the rest of everything great about the Lyriq carries over too, nailing Cadillac’s electric design language in an eminently usable luxury package. One that imparts a real sense of value without hitting the wallet too hard, either initially or with the threat of massive depreciation common to higher-priced electrics down the road. VIEW ALL CADILLACS FOR SALE   <- Gallery ->  

Read more
Can A 200-mph Supercar Really Pull Off A Luxury Getaway?

By Charles Bradley –  January 01, 2026

Can A 200-mph Supercar Really Pull Off A Luxury Getaway?

A six-figure, 200-mph supercar is designed to dominate apexes, not interstate exits, yet that hasn’t stopped owners from expecting more than mere daytrip thrills. As luxury motoring evolves, the modern supercar is increasingly asked to do what was previously unthinkable: carry luggage, handle long highway stints, navigate valet ramps, and still arrive looking as composed as the five-star resort it’s parked outside. The question isn’t whether a six-figure performance machine can go on vacation – it’s whether it can do so without compromising the sense of effortlessness that true luxury demands. We thought we’d answer the question by taking the 2026 Maserati MCPura on a jaunt from Miami to the Florida Keys, and find out if practicality would get in the way of its performance chops. Now, I’ve driven this car in the mountains of Tuscany, and around the curves of Miami’s Concours Club, enjoying its 621 horsepower and carbon-tubbed handling to the max. But how would it handle the journey from my hometown of Miami Beach, taking the Florida Turnpike and U.S. 1 even further down south to Key Largo, Islamorada, Tavernier, and Marathon? Part of the facelifted Maserati MC20’s appeal is that it can be quite a docile creature, thanks mainly to its 3.0-liter Nettuno V6 engine. Its rivals in the market are far more aggressive, and its vehicle dynamics are positively chilled – which is exactly what you want for a multi-day Florida Keys excursion. What’s also vital is the front-axle lift capability, because once you’re off the main route, there’s plenty of rough car parks and speed bumps to negotiate – even if the general terrain in these parts is as flat as a pancake. For starters, I take the MCPura out for a photoshoot to catch the Golden Hour, so take a trip from my place to Ocean Drive, say ‘hi’ to a surprisingly nonplussed breakfast chef as I snap the supercar under The Betsy Ross Hotel’s famous orb, and then take it on a cruise past the Versace Mansion (RIP Gianni) and the Clevelander. I swing a right after the Bentley Hotel, and take 5th Street to the McArthur Causeway, past the multi-millionaires of Star and Palm Islands on the right, plus the cruise ships to my left. Sending the car away from traffic light with its launch system briefly gets a motorbike cop’s attention, but he just wants to check out the car, and motors away before I take the exit to Watson Island’s exotically named Parrot Jungle Trail. After taking a few snaps, I’m held by some more cops, who’ve been booked to close off the road and allow some filming of a black Bugatti on the causeway – with a boat pulling alongside on Governors Cut. “Must be an important dude,” I say to myself, and some Insta hunting reveals that it’s being driven by none other than Mate Rimac himself. Small world!   View this post on Instagram A post shared by Anthony L Hsieh (@badcompanyfishingadventures)   After giving him a cheery wave on his way, I head back to my place and begin the short process of packing the MCPura. Just taking a look at the storage options, and knowing how hot the engine gets, means your best bet is a squashable Tote Bag in the rear trunk, which is kind of an odd shape – long yet narrow, and almost triangular. Thanks to Rolex, who hosted me at Monterey Car Week, I’ve got an elegant solution for that – although I do find that my smallest hard-shelled carry-on suitcase will just fit too. Next time, I’ll request some tailor-made Maserati luggage too! Of course, with it being a mid-engined supercar, it’s got a frunk. This is small, but it’s far from useless, and I find my Oakley-Pirelli backpack fits just fine if I don’t fill it too much. But if you think this won’t escape a roasting like the rear trunk, you’re wrong: The radiator at the front gives off plenty of heat, so my advice is bring anything ‘melty’ into the passenger footwell. As it’s a Florida Keys trip, though, all we really need is shorts and tees – plus sun cream and bug spray. Loaded up, which takes all of 30 seconds, I head to the Frost Science Museum to pick up my wife from work, and we hit the road east, past Zaha Hadid’s Scorpion Tower and the Miami Marlins Park, then on past Inter Miami’s new Freedom Park, which is under construction, the international airport, and then make the big turn south along Florida’s Turnpike. I have the MCPura in GT Mode, so it’s happy to burble along at the speed limit, the twin-turbos occasionally whooshing with wastegates fluttering if I need to back off for one of the many random lane changes ahead that proliferate any kind of multi-lane driving in these parts. Its eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox is also making this journey easy, and with 538 lb-ft torque available on demand, if I need to leap ahead of anyone, it’s done with the minimum fuss – and completed in what feels like a split-second after I’ve thought about it. Even on the elevated concrete highway, the ride is dealing just fine with the bumps of the bridge expansion gaps, and our cruise south past the Homestead airbase and racetrack is uneventful. Once past Florida City, you’re on to U.S. 1, and the greenery of the southern Everglades soon wraps around us. It’s back to single lane driving and, after a few minutes, we come across a random traffic stack-up. As I’m behind a boat being towed by a truck, I get zero warning apart from its brake lights – and, just for a moment, I require every inch of the Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes to get woah-ed down. You’ll read some criticism of the feel of these, and the left pedal does require a bit of heft – but this proves they do work effectively when required! Of course, my eyes go straight to the mirror, to see if the GMC truck behind is about to test the rear crash-test props of our full-carbon tub, but with his higher view, he’s already on the shoulder taking full evasive action – no doubt mindful of the insurance claim of rear-ending this $284,675 creation. Thanks for paying attention, buddy! As we sit in this traffic jam for a few minutes, I take advantage of this Cielo model’s open top and get the roof down for the rest of the journey, which is incident-free. It’s a bit annoying that you have to hold your finger on the touchscreen to complete the operation, as it takes 12 seconds, and this can be operated when moving up to 30 mph. It’s not far along this route to The Buzzard’s Roost, our late lunch stop, which is a great spot where you can watch the marina workers service some boats. And, if you’re lucky, you can see one of them accidentally fall into the water like we did, and enjoy him get teased for the relentlessly by his co-workers. Refuelled, we head to our boutique hotel in Tavernier, where the MCPura gets envious glances from our fellow vacationers, most of whom are driving rental drop-top Ford Mustangs, while parked outside our luxury cottage. And, of course, every time we leave our gated complex, I put it in Corsa mode and do a launch, so they can hear the Nettuno V6 singing its sweetest song! For dinner, we head for Italian – of course! – at Lido 73, a relatively new restaurant from the folks who run the Italian Food Company, which has multiple spots throughout the Keys. First our host spots the Maserati in the car park, and she tells the waiters… who tell the chefs… and suddenly the MCPura is surrounded by a multitude of excited Italians taking selfies as the sun sets. What it proves is that this car puts smiles on faces, and I still remember the Italian dude who slowed down on his superbike in Tuscany, who insisted we revved the car in a tunnel, and then gave us the “Bravissimo!” hand gesture. <- Gallery -> It's such a beautifully designed car that we got positive response everywhere we journeyed in the Keys, whether it was on the morning coffee shop run, or essentials shopping at Publix to stock up on cheese, ham, chocolate, wine and waterside margaritas. But there’s no way that single-use plastic bags are surviving the heat-soak of the trunks, so my wife gets them neatly wedged into the passenger-side footwell for the quick journey back. The only thing missing from our jaunt in this carbon-chassis, mid-engine sports car was some decent roads to show off its rocket-ship performance. But the Florida Keys is the antithesis of rushing around, and this is most definitely a vehicle that can provide chill as well as thrills. Maserati’s supercar remains a hugely enjoyable alternative in a segment where rivals often chase headline figures at the expense of genuine driving enjoyment, and the understated elegance of the MCPura, combined with its ease of operation, ensures it can be used as everyday option that stirs the soul, rather than a motionless garage queen. VIEW ALL MASERATIS FOR SALE   Images: Charles Bradley

Read more
A dark gray luxury sedan, the 2026 Lucid Air Touring, parked roadside with mountains and cloudy skies in the background. Review: 2026 Lucid Air Touring hits the EV sweet spot in both style and performance.

By Kirk Bell – 

Review: 2026 Lucid Air Touring Hits EV Sweet Spot

Lucid made a splash in 2022 when it released the Air sedan with big power and big prices to match. Four-figure horsepower ratings teamed with 500-plus miles of range showed EVs could be fast and efficient. Since then, power ratings and prices have come down to make the Air more accessible, but the cars are still fast and efficient. That leads us to the 2026 Lucid Air Touring, a model that was first introduced in 2023. It’s not the least powerful Air, but it’s one step up from the base Pure model, and it shows that 1,000-plus horsepower isn’t needed to make the Air a great electric car. The Air Touring’s dual-motor all-wheel drive electric powertrain employs a permanent magnet electric motor on each axle to produce 620 horsepower and 885 pound-feet of torque. The motors are fed by an 18-module, 92-kWh battery that provides a healthy 431 miles of range. That’s a lot smaller than the 22-module 117-kWh battery in the Grand Touring, which means less range, but it also cuts the weight by almost 200 pounds. Maximum power is available in the Sprint mode. Put it in Sprint, floor it, and the power hits hard from a stop. Occupants’ heads snap back into the seats, all four 245/45R19 Pirelli P Zero all-season tires hook up, and the 0-60 mph dash flashes by in 3.4 seconds, only 0.4 second slower than the 819-hp Grand Touring model. Opt for the Smooth or Swift modes and the output is limited to 347 horsepower. While the power isn’t quite as neck-snapping in these modes, it still feels quick and the instant electric torque gives it enough thrust to win stop-light drag races against the vast majority of gas-powered cars. Lucid teams that power with excellent efficiency. With the 19s, the EPA rates the Air Touring at 136 MPGe city, 132 highway, 134 combined for an efficiency of 4.0 mi/kWh. That makes it one of the most efficient electric vehicles on the market, and the Pure can be even thriftier with a rating a 4.34 mi/kWh. Snow and sub-freezing temperatures hurt the efficiency during my week with the Air Touring, as they would for any electric vehicle, or any gas-powered vehicle for that matter. The computer showed a top range of 390 miles, though the cold weather caused those miles to drain quickly. Over 209 miles of mixed city and highway driving, I averaged 2.85 mi/kWh. With its 700-volt electrical architecture, the Air Touring can accept a DC fast charge at up to 250 kW, which can add 200 miles of charge in 16 minutes. A 240-volt outlet can charge it to full in 10 hours. Off, Standard, and High regenerative braking modes recover energy for the battery. The High mode provides 0.3 g of braking force and acts as a one-pedal mode much of the time. I alternated between the Off and High modes, finding both appealing depending on my mindset in the moment. At 5,009 pounds, the Air Touring is heavier than a comparable gas-powered car but on the light side for an EV. Lucid harnesses that mass with a set of big brakes: 15.0-inch ventilated front rotors with six-piston calipers and 14.8-inch ventilated rear rotors with four-piston calipers. The hand-off from regen to the friction brakes is seamless. The only fancy bit of suspension technology Lucid employs is a set of adaptive dampers. The rest of the suspension is left up to good ol’ fashioned knowhow, and the engineers at Lucid certainly know how to build a car with a fantastic balance of ride quality and handling prowess. It’s set on a double-wishbone front suspension and a multi-link independent rear suspension, and it’s all tuned to deliver a smooth, luxurious ride and agile handling. From the driver’s seat, the Air Touring feels wide and low. Well-weighted steering with a quick 13.0:1 ratio directs it to dive into corners responsively. Thanks in part to a low-set 4.9 inches of ground clearance and the low center of gravity of the battery, the Air has precious little body lean, and the all-season tires do a reasonable job of sticking to the pavement in hard cornering. Those who want a sportier feel can opt for staggered 20-inch Michelin summer performance tires that will also sap some range. The driver enjoys not only good road feel, but also a high-tech cabin dressed in high-quality materials. Sturdy synthetic leather upholstery comes standard, and the real thing is a $3,000 option. Also standard are power-adjustable heated front seats and three-zone automatic climate control. Interior tech starts with a standard 34-inch screen with an infotainment touchscreen on the right, a digital instrument cluster in the middle, and a left-side touch panel for the wipers, exterior lighting, the defroster, and other controls. The center stack features a 12.5-inch touchscreen that is home to the drive modes, mirror and steering wheel controls, and trip computer information, among other functions. Digging into the screen for the mirrors and steering wheel settings proved annoying until I got used to the idea. Space is generous, as the Air takes advantage of its skateboard-style EV platform to offer a cabin that extends farther forward and rearward than you’ll find in ICE-powered cars. Three can sit across in back seat with plentiful legroom, and that’s only enhanced in the Touring model because the smaller battery lowers the rear floor for better thigh support. The trunk is large with 22.1 cubic feet of space and a 10-cubic foot front trunk adds even more utility. My test car ran to a price of $100,350 thanks an $81,499 starting price (including a $1,500 destination charge) and several options that added luxury and technology features. Among them were a $2,900 21-speaker Surreal Sound Pro audio system, 20-way power-adjustable front seats with massage and ventilation for $3,750, and $3,000 for a Comfort & Convenience package with soft-close doors, a power frunk, four-zone automatic climate control, a heated steering wheel, and heated rear seats. My car also came with the $6,750 DreamDrive Pro system, which provides hands-free highway driving that works quite well. Priced right, the Touring model is the smart choice in the Air lineup. It costs $9,000 more than the Pure but it adds 200 horsepower and all-wheel drive. It’s also a whopping $34,000 less than the Grand Touring model, which has more power and a few extra features. Its starting price is also about $28,000 less than when the Touring went on sale in 2023. The Touring is more than just the Air model to choose. Fast, efficient, and fun to drive, the 2026 Lucid Air Touring is a great choice among all EVs thanks to the company’s knowhow in electric powertrains, suspension tuning, interior space, and technology. View All Lucids For Sale Images: Lucid Motors

Read more
Czinger 21C First Drive: A Technological Tour de Force

By Michael Van Runkle –  December 28, 2025

Czinger 21C First Drive: A Technological Tour de Force

Climbing into the groundbreaking Czinger 21C hypercar requires a quick lesson in contortionism. After opening the long dihedral door, spin around and sit on the sill logo, then spin again and slide your legs into the pedal box, scooch your tailbone down into the carbon-backed seat, and bring your head in last. Oh, and don’t forget: your passenger needs to get in first, because they’ll straddle the driver in a 1+1 layout most similar to a full-on fighter jet. Cockpit is the only way to accurately describe the 21C’s interior, but I adjusted to the central seating surprisingly quickly – then again, I do regularly drive a right-hand-drive Japanese car on the streets of Los Angeles and once spent a full day slinging a Formula 4 racecar around a track. But the Czinger is far more exotic than a JDM import and even more radical to drive than that open-wheeled racer because this hybrid pumps out up to 1,250 horsepower from a tiny 2.88-liter twin-turbocharged V8, which is derived from motorcycle engines to unlock a screaming 11,000-rpm redline, and then paired with two front electric motors rated for 268 horsepower each to create all-wheel drive traction. I needed every ounce of that traction while effectively time-warping my way up canyons in Malibu, even on roads I know, as they say, like the back of my hands. Luckily, once inside, the 21C offers excellent visibility over the dramatic fenders. And the switchgear never seems as complex as an airplane’s despite the crazy AI-designed and 3D-printed components visible everywhere, from the gauge cluster surround to the suspension and even the textural pedals. Push the stop-start button on the right, select drive modes to the left, and dial in climate controls to the right. Then, I spent most of the drive using the paddle shifters – which also shift down into reverse below neutral in similar fashion as a motorbike. I needed front axle lift, accessible via a knob on the teensy tiny racecar steering wheel, quite regularly because this, the low-drag V Max car, rides low enough to reach a top speed of 253 miles an hour. And I never even went into Track Plus mode to drop the chassis down another 30 millimeters, other than to pose for pictures. I never came close to that top speed, but my tailbone felt about six inches off the ground the whole time. The suspension obviously prioritizes performance, but in Street mode, the dampers still stay compliant enough to absorb bumps and ruts without sending any jolts through the rigid chassis. Street mode also prioritizes the electric motors, then kicks on the internal-combustion engine whenever the driver dips deeply enough into the throttle or if the EV range from just 4.2-kilowatt-hours of lithium-ion batteries gets too low. Switch into Sport, and the engine runs all the time, with a deep and lumping idle. Throttle modulation at first felt fairly normal, but as soon as I nudged my right toe a little extra, the 21C combines the immediate punch of an EV with the screaming wail of a superbike and absolutely launches down the road, almost quickly enough to snatch the air out of lungs, with so much power available at any rev that the ECU cues traction control intervention almost on all but the smoothest roads. Traction control makes this whole exercise in technological innovation possible, simply because there’s so much potential in the chassis, which Czinger designed as an early showcase of the iterative design algorithms pioneered by sister company Divergent. Lightweight and rigid, the components from the engine cradle to the subframes, and even the wheel hubs that integrate brake calipers and fluid lines into one solid unit, all resemble H.R. Giger’s haunting set designs in Alien. I’ve known about the potentially world-changing tech for years now, and truly wondered how a startup hypercar manufacturer might prioritize driveability while demonstrating such obviously avant-garde innovation. The brake pedal, just as one example, brought me straight back to that day in the F4 car, because the solid fluid routing relies less on hosing that typically swells under pressure – so instead, the firmness greeting my left foot (this car seems ripe for two-foot driving) truly approached a racecar level of responsiveness. But the pedal also required serious muscular exertion when hauling down speed. And the 21C wants to rip off at breakneck speed all the time, only settling down and becoming happier once I started to crest 50, 60, and 70 miles per hour. After braking later and later, cutting the steering wheel deep into corners reveals the incredible spiderweb effect of centralized mass, the 1+1 layout, and 3D-printed engineering and all-wheel-drive grip, creating a planted sensation that my most aggressive driving simply could not faze. The 21C does appreciate gentler inputs, though, especially while trail braking, as I learned by the end of my drive. If only so the front-axle regen can help to regulate traction, too. And other than the heavy steering requiring a hefty effort, I’d never guess this hypercar weighs 3,668 pounds. I did notice some low-speed shuddering from the steering wheel, something I’ve experienced in a few other high-power EVs previously. I suspect the electro-hydraulic steering system effectively needs to fight the EV motors a little while creeping along—now add so much more mechanical grip from the 21C’s gargantuan 265-mm front and 325-mm rear Michelin tires. Those tires sit under the exaggerated fenders that further contribute to the aerodynamics of a 252-mph tactical missile. The design alone turns more heads than anything – bar none – I’ve ever driven, just an unfamiliar vision of a future almost inconceivable to the ordinary mind. I’d take my 21C in the gorgeous exposed blue-weave carbon, and also prefer black leather everywhere on the inside rather than my test car’s blue Alcantara? If only to enhance the curb appeal and impression of quality to match the high-tech chassis and powertrain of this $2.7 million hypercar. Where most supercar and hypercar manufacturers these days aim to leverage modern tech to broaden the scope between performance and daily driveability, Czinger entertains no such fantasies about the 21C because nothing comes anywhere near comparing to this car. Even if the ride quality never crosses the border into discomfort, at least in Street and Sport mode, this car simply demands attention in any driving scenario, whether tooling around in traffic, highway cruising, ripping through the canyons, or carving up a racetrack. I never felt quite natural driving with one hand, for example, because I never forgot that I was sitting behind the wheel of a technological tour de force. Short of prototype racecars and the world’s greatest superbikes, this is simply the most hardcore vehicle I’ve ever driven. The mind simply balks at imagining the raw G-forces this car might exert on the human body when pushed to the limit on a racetrack, where the 21C continuously sets production car lap records all over America. Yet if you’re flexible enough to climb in – and I did sit in the backseat, where at six-foot-one I fit just fine – the Czinger is also surprisingly livable, even if lacking refinement in some areas, including the hilarious startup music and an incongruously outdated gauge cluster configuration. Living with some quirks always comes along with bleeding-edge tech, though, and should be expected in such an utterly unique supercar,truly unlike anything else on the road. View All Supercars & Exotic Cars For Sale Images: Michael Van Runkle

Read more

duPont REGISTRY News

duPont REGISTRY Group

Support

Subscribe

©2026 DUPONT REGISTRY GROUP. All Rights Reserved.

Live Auctions