The Best in Automotive of the Year, From Aston Martin to Ferrari

The “hypercar” designation, if based on output alone, has become increasingly slippery, as four-door models with room for groceries now crack four figures of horsepower. Yet the term was coined to define a vehicle that defied the perceived limits of power, design, performance, and industry impact. By that measure, the Czinger 21C V Max is the new standard-bearer for the category.

Of course, the 3,520-pound (dry weight) hybrid has muscle, rocket-like acceleration, and benchmark agility the class demands. A 2.88-liter twin-turbo V-8, capable of 11,000 rpm, pairs with two independent front motors for a combined 1,250 hp. (A third electric motor charges the two 800-volt batteries.) That setup pushes the glass-canopied tandem-seat milestone from zero to 62 mph in 1.9 seconds on its way to a top speed of 253 mph. The power train works with electronically adjustable damping, a brake-by-wire system, and electrohydraulic steering—a potent mix that helped the high-downforce variant of the 21C set production-car lap times at five circuits, including Laguna Seca.

Yet what secured the 21C’s place on the hypercar pedestal is the breadth of its innovation, from the Southern California marque’s A.I.-driven design approach to its 3-D printing to its robotic-assembly process, all developed in-house through parent company Divergent Technologies. With the 21C, Czinger’s goal to reimagine the entire manufacturing landscape comes into sharp focus. From $2.35 million

A game-changing outlier that effectively created its own category when it debuted in 2017, the Lamborghini Urus introduced the world to an off-road-capable supercar that was also easy to domesticate. Think of it as the automotive equivalent of the family mastiff—intimidating in appearance, ferocious when required, but great with kids. Since then, the model has maintained its dominance despite a growing field of souped-up grocery-getters with go-kart dynamics, as proved by the new Urus SE’s second-place finish in Robb Report’s 2026 Car of the Year contest.

The 789 hp Urus SE is the first plug-in-hybrid version of the model, and its most powerful. The power train pairs a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 with an electric motor mounted inside the eight-speed transmission. Officially topping out at 193.8 mph, the SE sprints from zero to 62 mph in 3.4 seconds and features new aerodynamic measures that increase rear downforce by 35 percent and improve cooling airflow by 15 percent. Adding versatility are 11 drive modes, including four new ones tied to electrification. Still, it is the three settings for varied terrain that continue to define this breed. Like that dutiful mastiff, this Urus is happiest when let off the leash. From $276,741

Aston Martin’s Valhalla is not only its new flagship but the most technically advanced series-production model built by the 113-year-old British marque. Sure, this 1,064 hp statement piece of aerodynamic artistry and propulsion could easily contend in either our supercar or hypercar classes, but we believe it has no peer when it comes to hybridization.

The 3,648-pound (dry weight) Valhalla combines an 817 hp 4.0-liter flat-plane-crank twin-turbo V-8 with three electric motors—a pair operating independently at the front wheels and a third mounted inside the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. The resulting numbers include a zero-to-62 mph time of 2.5 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 217 mph.

Active aero can generate 1,322 pounds of total downforce in corners while minimizing straight-line drag via a Formula 1–inspired DRS. But unlike its 1,139 hp Valkyrie stablemate—street-legal, yet all motorsport manners—this carbon-fiber chameleon is an undeniable track star that also offers revelatory driving refinement on the road, setting a standard much the way Aston’s iconic DB5 once did in its own era. Limited to 999 examples, the Valhalla could soon be just as timelessly coveted. From $1.05 million

C-suite responsibilities aren’t confined to a set space and time, and neither should your next major deal or breakthrough idea. Becker Automotive Design’s ESV Mobile Office was developed to keep that momentum intact by providing the ultimate workstation on wheels. The heavily modified, stretched Cadillac Escalade features a rear seating area equipped with the audiovisual essentials—including a 43-inch LCD display—needed to monitor the markets, conduct virtual meetings, and respond fluidly to an ever-changing schedule. Plus, an onboard router ensures that the connection stays fast and reliable.

When it’s time to unplug, the ESV Mobile Office offers ample room to relax. The vehicle is two feet longer than the standard Escalade, and its roof rises an additional five inches. The five-seat configuration includes a pair of six-way power recliners upholstered in Italian leather, while the center divider can be activated for privacy. This extra comfort does not come at the expense of substance: Becker preserves the structural integrity and ride quality of the donor Escalade, complete with its 420 hp 6.2-liter V-8. Also maintained is your low profile on the move since, unlike the cabin, the exterior is disarmingly minimalist. From $475,000

The first Lexus LFA production car was unlike anything the Japanese marque had built before the model’s debut in 2009—or since, for that matter. So what better way to honor one of the automaker’s most important vehicles than by once again doing something completely different? Introduced late last year, the LFA Concept swaps its predecessor’s naturally aspirated V-10—said by some to emit the “roar of an angel”—for an all-electric power train. For that reason alone, its battery-powered nature will likely not win over traditionalists, but if a production version becomes reality, it could give E.V. demand a jolt.

Rather than offering a reverential homage, the concept recalls the original’s aggressive sophistication, while integrating bleeding-edge advancements. Its most forward-looking feature might be the cocoon-like dash, fronted by a yoke in place of a conventional steering wheel in the fighter jet–style cockpit. It’s a fitting configuration, one that suggests the sky may indeed be the limit for this LFA.

This year, two cars blurred the top categories of power and performance. While the Czinger 21C’s challenge to convention—rooted in state-of-the-art production methods—earned it the hypercar crown, the Ferrari F80 certainly relegates the term “supercar” to understatement. The real question is: Where will it rank among the greatest automobiles in history? Ferrari basically set out to build a model with all the capability of the daunting Formula 1–inspired Aston Martin Valkyrie—and then made it a joy to drive. It also gave it even more muscle. Highlights include an asymmetrical multi-material chassis (including carbon fiber, other composites, and aluminum), a 120-degree V-6 that makes nearly 300 hp per liter, three electric motors, one metric ton of downforce generated at just over 155 mph, and control arms made using 3-D printing and additive manufacturing.

As we experienced with Aston’s Valkyrie, sometimes all that advanced engineering doesn’t add up to a great driver’s car, but Ferrari made sure it did. Calm, easy to pilot, and both predictable and correctable on track, the F80 transforms into a snarling monster on the road. It’s the best-driving street car we’ve ever experienced—bafflingly good, really, to the point where your brain starts to think almost any price might be a bargain. From $3.7 million

Like a scrappy Dickens hero, the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 proves that birthright and inheritance do not always determine success. It may not come from the bloodlines of Bugatti or Koenigsegg, but this Chevrolet can hit 233 mph with its 1,064 hp 5.5-liter twin-turbo V-8 (with 828 ft lbs of torque). That makes it the fastest production automobile built in the U.S., and why “America’s sports car” is also Robb Report’s, at least for this year.

The engine, a Ferrari-esque flat-crankshaft affair, howls with hurricane force as it catapults this ’Vette—fit with the ZTK Performance Package—from zero to 60 mph in 2.3 seconds and powers it through the quarter mile in 9.6 seconds at 150 mph. For the coupe, the monstrous mill is displayed below a transparent panel that nods to the 1963 split-window Sting Ray.

A functional body full of spears, switchblades, and stealth-fighter cues can be topped with a scything rear wing (part of the Carbon Aero Package) that generates up to 1,200 pounds of downforce. Yet for all its menace, the ZR1 is surprisingly approachable. Keep the beast in check, and it reverts to a familiar C8 Corvette, complete with Magnetic Ride Control suspension, Google-based infotainment, and space for luggage or golf clubs. And, this being a Corvette, the price—like the top speed—reads almost like a misprint. From $197,195

As its moniker implies, our grand-tourer category celebrates an automobile that imbues any long journey with joie de vivre. This year, the decision came early: The Aston Martin Vanquish proved the overwhelming favorite among judges of Robb Report’s 2026 Car of the Year contest—and for good reason.

The latest iteration of the model, introduced as a concept in 1998 before the production version arrived in 2001, is now one of the fastest cars the brand has ever built, topping out at 214 mph after dispatching zero to 62 mph in 3.3 seconds. That output comes from Aston’s unapologetic tribute to the internal-combustion engine: an 824 hp 5.2-liter twin-turbo V-12 with 727 ft lbs of torque, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Bodywork that seems sculpted by a wind tunnel and finished with a 1960s-style Kamm tail gives the car’s dominance over drag much of its visual character.

What establishes the Vanquish as this year’s winning GT, though, is the compelling way its brawn and exterior beauty are matched by the cabin. Occupants get a balanced blend of touchscreen tech and analog functionality, along with a formidable degree of tactile style and ergonomic insight. The grand tourer has always been central to Aston Martin’s legacy, and here the marque reaches its apex. From $433,000

Friend or foe? That may be the question redlining in your subconscious as you settle behind the wheel of the Gunther Werks F-26. And it’s fair to ask. After all, the Southern California–based restomod house’s latest interpretation of the Porsche 911 weighs just 2,750 pounds, yet can send 1,067 hp to the rear wheels—output managed by a six-speed manual transmission.

“We integrated a flex-fuel E85 system into the car, and also optimized the air flow, air box, and exhaust systems,” says Gunther Werks founder Peter Nam. “With this new drivetrain, we thought that it was most befitting to use a vehicle that was inspired by the original 935 ‘Slant Nose’… one of the most iconic and most historic Porsche race cars ever made.”

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Limited to 26 examples, the F-26 begins with a Porsche 993 Carrera donor before being transformed by components made almost entirely in-house. Its 4.0-liter twin-turbo flat-six, developed in partnership with Rothsport Racing, is paired with a chassis that’s 250 percent stiffer than the original 993’s and a body rendered in carbon fiber. The interior is its own visual tour de force, combining exposed and painted carbon fiber, leather, and Alcantara complemented by the dashboard’s analog artistry.

As for that disquieting first impression, it vanishes the instant you give the F-26 some throttle. While it climbs through the gears, your mindset shifts just as cleanly, and you become thoroughly immersed in the moment. From $1.67 million

“Fun” is not a word normally associated either with Audi or E.V.s, but it’s the only one that fits the German luxury marque’s battery-powered flagship, the RS e-tron GT performance. It may not be as sleek as its corporate cousin, the Porsche Taycan, but the muscular four-door has a character and bite that has been sorely missing from Audi’s models this century. It also feels roomy and cushy, though an aggressively styled cockpit and squared-off steering wheel remind you that this is a 912 hp road rocket—don’t let the number of doors fool you.

Backed by a 105 kWh battery responsible for an E.P.A.-estimated range of 278 miles, the zero-emissions power train—one motor on the front axle, the other on the rear—makes the all-wheel-drive RS e-tron GT performance the brand’s most powerful production vehicle ever, as well as its quickest. You feel it the moment you floor the right pedal, and zero to 60 mph disappears in 2.4 seconds, making every highway’s passing lane a fresh raison d’être for your daily commute. From $170,500

While disparate inform and function, the finest motorcycles and watches are both mechanical masterworks, which is why the collaboration between horologist Richard Mille and bike-builder Brough Superior feels at once unexpected and inevitable. Each is renowned for technical mastery, innovative materials, and a penchant for avant-garde design—common ground that has yielded the exquisite RMB01, the two-wheeled equivalent of a tourbillon.

Inspired by the agile bikes that raced on wooden board tracks across the U.S. in the early 20th century, the 130 hp RMB01 pairs a forged-carbon frame with a water-cooled 997 cc V-twin four-stroke engine machined from a solid block of aircraft-grade alloy. And as is de rigueur for Brough Superior, it features the brand’s more intricate and dynamic Fior-type fork with double- wishbone suspension. But what really winds us up is the baroque styling—from the wheels to the dash display—inspired by Richard Mille’s skeletonized timepieces. It doesn’t hurt that the bike is equally exclusive, with just 150 examples slated for production. Approximately $232,000

Conjuring the glamour of Hollywood’s golden age, convertibles lend even the most mundane daily driving a cinematic charge, and few do so more persuasively than the storied Mercedes SL. Since the 1950s-era 300 SL, now a blue-chip collectible, the model has married sports-car athleticism with chic interior styling. Taking the latter to another level is the new Mercedes-Maybach SL 680 Monogram Series, the first two-seater from the marque’s division devoted to automotive lavishness.

The Maybach variant offers a more pampering suspension than its performance- minded Mercedes-AMG sibling, while still allowing for varying degrees of responsiveness through four drive modes—Comfort, Maybach, Sport, and Individual. More breathtaking still are the vehicle’s exterior and interior presentations. Our debut edition’s signature dual-tone paint scheme of Manufaktur Garnet Red Metallic and Obsidian Black Metallic is beautifully complemented by Manufaktur Crystal White Nappa leather, matching plush rugs, and tony silver-chrome trim. Then there’s the heated Airscarf system around the headrests, which envelopes occupants in warmth when needed.

A 577 hp 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 paired with a nine-speed automatic hustles the SL from zero to 60 mph in 4.0 seconds on its way to an electronically limited top speed of 161 mph. The driving experience recalls the discontinued Rolls-Royce Dawn and, though not quite reaching that standard, it marks a spectacular dawn for the Maybach badge. From $224,900

At a time when certain sedans have hypercar power and performance, our class winner is a roughly 6,000-pound behemoth that covers zero to 62 mph in a leisurely 5.3 seconds. Why? Because absolute artistry drove the choice. Limited to 25 examples, the Rolls-Royce Phantom Centenary honors not only the marque’s famed luxury sedan, introduced in 1925, but the automobile’s legacy as a canvas for creative expression.

The exterior alone marries gravitas and grandeur, with a palette of Super Champagne Crystal, Arctic White, and black, all shimmering with an infusion of powdered glass. And holding court at the front of the hood is the Spirit of Ecstasy in 18- and 24-karat gold. But it’s the interior that really dazzles, incorporating 3-D marquetry and ink application, gold-leaf layering, laser etching, and, in the rear seats alone, 160,000 stitches. Across 45 panels, the cabin traces the Phantom’s lineage—from its origin story to famous owners to landmark moments—while the Starlight headliner adds still more references.

And yes, the combination of a 6.75-liter twin-turbo V-12 paired with an eight-speed satellite-assisted transmission and self-leveling air suspension still delivers the automaker’s signature “magic carpet ride.” It’s simply buoyed further by an aesthetic 100 years in the making. Pricing undisclosed, though commissions are rumored to have been more than $3 million