REGISTER today and WIN great prizes in our Readers' Draw For the coolest luxury gifts and books, check out SELECTIONS today New Luxury Property Search launched in partnership with PROPGOLuxury
Login | Sign up
 
  Regulars > Reviews and Commentary > Long Live the Supercar

   Published in: March 2007
 
Text Size: GR | GR | GR

Admittedly, obsessive types like Horacio Pagani are few and far between, especially in the image-driven world of the supercar. Christian von Kooenigsegg is perhaps another man with the resolve to pull off his well-received version of the supercar, the CCX. But the fact that these modern automotive heroes exist is a hopeful sign of things to come. There is life in the supercar, after all.

Interestingly, there will have to be changes made to the formula if the genre is to survive. Unlikely as they may first appear as a sporting manufacturer, but Toyota is arguably on to something great with their latest pair of hybrid-drive supercars which aim not only to boost usable power with electric motors, but also to use fuel more efficiently. With gasoline fast running out, and town centers getting increasingly polluted, some modicum of deference to environmental concerns is going to have to be adhered to by everyone, and not just mainstream carmakers. Good things are coming from a tenacious little company called Tesla, too, who have an electric sports car making a good impression on motoring enthusiasts. Clean, powerful, yet efficient diesel engines are also rumored to be making an appearance in Audi’s latest supercar, the R8, in the near future too.

Look how far we have come. Once a devilish indulgence for people who could put up with poor reliability and wild handling, the supercar has, with the Veyron, matured into a friendly, usable device that still possesses a magical turn of speed. This is an accomplishment that future carmakers will have a hard time beating.

With many new developments in alternative fuel technology, hybrid drive, and advanced construction materials, there is every possibility that one day we will all be driving around, powered by electricity, at 250 mph ourselves. We can only hope. So, wither the supercar? Not likely!

Next page: Gallery
<< 1 2 3 4 5 >>

Part of the Luxury Insider Network