Cars

As well as the magnificent Vignale-penned Ferraris and Maseratis (among countless others), the Turin-based design house was often enlisted by Fiat for limited editions, prototypes and motor-show concepts. Alfredo Vignale personally drew the Samantha, as he wanted a luxury coupé for regular long trips. The pretty brown/tan colour combination on this car is the tip of an already attractive iceberg. 

With the emergence of the new Mercedes S-Class, Audi has retaliated with this, the new A8. By no means is this a new car, though; merely a product refresh incorporating cutting-edge technology, a raft of engine upgrades and new cosmetic features to drag the outdated saloon firmly back into the ring.

There were times in the past when the process of building a single model could almost completely consume a company’s resources – one only needs to look to the M1 for proof of this, its development troubling both BMW and the company originally contracted to build it, Lamborghini.

Like the Golf GTI and 930 Turbo, the M635CSi represented the epitome of design and performance in the 1980s. Visually, its shark-nosed bonnet and rubber boot spoiler managed to exert an aggression modern cars would envy; yet it rode on 15-inch alloys and used the revered M badge sparingly both inside and out. It was assertive yet modest, even though it had no reason to be: beneath that never-ending bonnet sat a tweaked version of the M1 supercar’s straight-six – with significantly more power than the M535i which played intermediary.

“If you’re passionate, you’re there and you’re in the driving overalls yourself, it makes you understand what it’s all about...”

Well, maybe it wasn't your actual heaven, but it certainly felt like it from behind the wheel of Aston Martin's latest work of art, the V12 Vantage S.

"This might just be the finest production car Aston has ever built..."

This deliciously taut and pugnacious-looking 565 horsepower animal would bring out the devil in even the most saintly driver if faced with those endless miles of come-hither asphalt around Palm Springs, where Aston chose to launch its latest hard-core sportster.

The route from Los Angeles to Palm Springs on Interstate 10 is convenient, but offers no great scenery; so what car might you choose to liven up your trip to the desert? You could of course take the traditional classic approach in a quick and comfortable early Mercedes SL, or how about something a little more unusual? And a great deal more angular?

No doubt with the LWB-loving American and Chinese markets at the forefront of its collective mind, Land Rover has stretched the fourth-generation Range Rover – the main beneficiaries being the rear-seat passengers. While only the eagle-eyed will spot the well-executed elongation from the outside (overhangs remain unchanged for proportional consistency), the changes are more obvious once the extended rear door is opened.

Team owner Tony Parravano, standing third from the left, appears less cheerful. Perhaps he suspects that Shelby will crash the Ferrari? 

At home in Amsterdam

Despite widespread presence in the media, the design of the compact four-door still appears other-worldly. But it’s not only its appearance that makes passers-by gawp in amazement: once the quirky looks have been digested, there’s then the realisation that it’s gliding by in complete silence.

During the initial ownership period, you can expect a barrage of questions. Yes, it’s built in Germany. Yes, it’s electric. And yes, it’s made largely of carbonfibre-reinforced plastic. Any more?