A Preview of the 2027 Robb Report Car of the Year Lineup (So Far)

Examples of top-tier automotive exotica are nothing new to Robb Report’s Car of the Year contest. In 2007 and 2010, we had the 1,001 hp Bugatti Veyron and Veyron Grand Sport, respectively, the latter being named our Car of the Decade. In 2017, the innovative and iconic Porsche 918 Spyder, delivering 887 hp, finished first in our field of contenders. Then, in 2025, the 1,900 hp Pininfarina Battista graced us with its presence. For the 2027 edition, we are thrilled to present the 1,064 hp Aston Martin Valhalla hypercar.

As we mentioned in our drive review of the hybrid model earlier in the year, “the new flagship of Aston’s renaissance is also its most technically advanced production model to date—a fact that becomes clear the moment you slip into the cockpit.” As for the exterior’s array of performance enhancements, among the most notable are the deployable rear wing—adding to the 1,322 pounds of total downforce—and a Formula 1–derived drag reduction system (DRS). With a zero-to-62 mph acceleration time claimed to be 2.5 seconds, and a top speed limited to 217 mph, the Valhalla starts at about $1.05 million and will be limited to 999 examples. One of those will be available for you to drive with us.

Click here for the full drive review.

From 2017 through 2021, a version of the Lamborghini Huracán earned our top honor four out of those five years. Now, Sant’Agata Bolognese’s new model, the Temerario, will try to live up to that Raging Bull’s legacy. Fit with a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8—topping out at 10,000 rpm—and three electric motors, the 907 hp hybrid is claimed to cover zero to 62 mph in 2.7 seconds (in Launch Control) and reach a top speed of 213 mph. Also of note are the car’s 13 drive modes; there’s even a drift mode with three levels of grip (or lack of).

Last summer, we were among the first to drive the Temerario, doing so at the Estoril circuit, a former Formula 1 track in Portugal. In our review we noted: “Despite its ferocity, the Temerario is among the most approachable Lamborghinis to date, second only to the Urus in everyday functionality . . . with the Temerario, Lamborghini isn’t just entering the hybrid arena; it’s defining it.”

Click here for the full drive review.

Cadillac has had quite the journey in its 124-year history. It became synonymous with prominence and power early on, but by the approaching end of the 20th century, the stateside automaker’s reputation had lost most all of its luster. Its saving grace was the Escalade, which gave the brand the boost it needed when the tony transport hit the scene in 1999. Then, performance became the priority with the Cadillac V-Series Blackwing line, which hit the streets and circuits in 2022. But Cadillac’s character arc has taken the steepest change in trajectory with the all-electric Celestiq.

The overall aesthetic of the Celestiq is unlike that of any car from Cadillac, and the manufacturer has equally grand designs for its new flagship model in general. With more muscle than the Rolls-Royce Spectre and close to that of the Bentley Continental GT S, the 655 hp Celestiq is positioned to also compete with those marque’s when it comes to price—starting at $361,000—and level of customization. With Celestiq, Cadillac’s road ahead now looks far more compelling.

Click here for our full drive review.

While the S.U.V. category has been dominating the car market, the once-ubiquitous station wagon is viewed by many as the automotive equivalent of The Brady Bunch—charmingly nostalgic though glaringly outdated. True aficionados of performance and functionality, though, realize that the few modern wagons on the market are more akin to the lead character in Breaking Bad—presenting a genteel and affable nature while hiding latent ferocity just waiting to be unleashed.

This duality is especially the case with the M5 Touring, BMW’s five-door family hauler with a Nürburgring nature. Sure, there’s ample storage space, four-zone climate control, and contouring seats with plenty of ergonomic support, but it also packs the marque’s M TwinPower Turbo V-8 mated to an electric motor. It’s a combination that delivers 717 hp and enables the car to crush zero to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds on its way to a top speed of 190 mph. Your car pool will never be the same.

Robb Report’s Car of the Year contest has had its current format for 23 years, and, in that span, the Bentley Continental model and its variants have won four times (2004, 2007, 2022, and 2023), the last being the Continental GT S. The latter will return next month in an attempt to reclaim the throne in 2027-model-year guise.

The winning Continental GT S in 2023, however, solely owed its output to a 542 hp twin-turbo V-8, whereas the latest iteration boasts more than 670 hp thanks to the pairing of its eight-cylinder engine with hybridization. The result? “The fourth generation Continental GT S models are the fastest and most powerful yet to wear the S badge,” according to Bentley’s press release. The marque also claims that this Continental catapults from zero to 60 in 3.3 seconds and can reach 190 mph. Rest assured, though, that the interior’s baronial trappings will be as breathtaking as the vehicle’s enhanced brawn and performance bravado.

The Rolls-Royce Spectre was introduced in 2022, and when we first drove it the following year, we stated in print that it was “arguably the most important luxury vehicle to debut this millennium.” After all, the highly anticipated two-door four seater presented the best integration of electrification into a model line by any automaker to date, at least in our opinion.

For our 2027 Car of the Year showdown, we have the Spectre Series II, a fine-tuned rendition of the 121-year-old British marque’s zero-emissions masterwork. Output has been bolstered to nearly 593 hp compared to the original 584 hp, and toque now comes in at more than 748 ft lbs. As for range, that has supposedly jumped to 390 miles from 266 miles, and charging time is claimed to have been shortened by as much as 14 percent. Yet while those figures are fine, arguably the most compelling aspect of Spectre remains its ethereal cabin experience.

The marque largely responsible for launching the entire automotive industry, Mercedes-Benz has always been at the forefront of integrating innovative engineering and technology. Now, with the three-pointed star’s Mercedes-Maybach division, sumptuous customization and cabin couture are the new cause célèbres.

Nowhere is this better exemplified than with the Maybach version of the flagship S-Class, its V-12 powered S 680 in particular. With its purely internal-combustion, 621 hp engine mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission, the model dispatches zero to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds, but that’s not the impressive part. The ah-ha moment happens when you enter the cabin and realize the artisanship showcased. It’s a new pinnacle of posh for Mercedes, which seems to project more swank and swagger the older it gets.

Click here for the full review of the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class.

Each wave of judging includes a two-night stay at the fabled Boca Raton resort (shown above), opened in 1926 and set on 200 acres of premier real estate in Boca Raton, Fla. The first day includes a welcome cocktail reception and wine-paired dinner. The next morning, after an early breakfast by the Bocce court, we set off for the Concours Club, a private motorsport retreat just outside of Miami.

There, a two-story Pininfarina-designed enclave will be our trackside base camp, while participants take turns driving the field of contenders on a segmented circuit comprising drills that test handling, acceleration, and stopping. Lunch comprises a menu from chef Brad Kilgore, formerly of two-Michelin-star Alinea in Chicago. At day’s end, it’s back to the Boca Raton for a wine-paired judging dinner. During the meal, each driver shares their top three picks with the group, a conversation and debate that can be continued at the next morning’s farewell brunch.

Final results will not be revealed until Robb Report’s Car of the Year issue in February, and it’s within those pages that your comments comprise the majority of the namesake feature. Why just read the reviews when you can be a part of them? This is an opportunity to drive some of the finest cars in production, give your insights to the industry, and fuel lasting memories that extend beyond your time behind the wheel.

For more information on Robb Report’s upcoming Car of the Year, or to register, visit RR1.com.