The editorial car selection

Rolls-Royce Specter

Electric silence

We can logically regret the planned disappearance of thermal engines under the hood of the sports cars that make us dream so much. Being able to whip a naturally aspirated V12 up to nearly 9000 rpm leaves memories to last a lifetime. But the Rolls-Royce V12s work in a very different way. Rather set to remain as quiet as possible in all circumstances, they are almost never heard in the passenger compartment of these opulent machines and mainly serve as torque reserves. This is why the arrival of the very first electric Rolls-Royce does not upset us that much. The Goodwood brand lifts the veil on the prototype of the Spectre, which takes the form of a large luxury coupe. The machine remains heavily camouflaged for the moment and we will have to wait a little over a year to discover it without makeup.

Lamborghini Countach LP500

Resurrection

Clearly, the celebrations for the fiftieth anniversary of the Lamborghini Countach are dragging on. After the presentation of the LP800-4 LPI, a modified Aventador whose style pays homage to the original Countach, the Italian manufacturer is adding a layer with a particularly ambitious restoration project. The goal ? Completely rebuild the very first prototype of the Countach LP500, presented at the 1971 Geneva Motor Show. At the request of a collector – who probably spent a veritable fortune for it – the Lamborghini Polo Storico teams completely built a new car according to the plans of the original concept car. The latter no longer exists, but thanks to 3D printing technology, scrupulous information collection work and a collaboration with Pirelli, the pioneer of supercars with an alluring design exists again and even makes its V12 roar.

Genesis GV60

Korean luxury

Vous connaissez Lexus, la marque « premium » de Toyota. Eh bien le groupe Hyundai-Kia vise exactement le même positionnement avec sa nouvelle enseigne Genesis, qui se lancera sur le marché européen avec un SUV 100% électrique reposant sur la même plateforme que le Hyundai Ioniq 5 et le Kia EV6. Le GV60 s’inscrit dans la catégorie des modèles familiaux (Audi Q4 e-tron, Tesla Model Y, Ford Mustang Mach-E, BMW iX3, Mercedes EQ A…) with a fairly strong, even downright divisive, style. Thanks to batteries with a generous capacity of 77,4 kWh, it can travel up to 528 km in theory. Developing 228 hp in the basic version, it will increase to 435 hp in its most powerful variant. With 605 Nm of torque, a temporary “boost” to 489 hp and a real Drift mode, the machine could give the Tesla Model Y Performance a hard time. It remains to know the prices.

C

The C8.R on the road?

Passed in 2019 to a whole new generation, the Chevrolet Corvette finally arrives in Europe in its C8 Stingray version with a 8-liter naturally aspirated V6.2 producing 475 hp. The American sports car, which has for the first time in its history an engine in the central rear position, is also preparing to move upmarket. We know, for example, that Chevrolet is working on a 1 horsepower ZR1000 hybrid version, which will aim for nothing less than Ferrari SF90 Stradale. And the American manufacturer shows us the very first image of the Z06, featuring a 8 liter naturally aspirated V5.5 very close to that of the C8.R which has just narrowly missed out on victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Equipped with a flat crankshaft, this block promises a power of more than 600 horsepower and a sound very different from classic Corvette V8s. The car will be officially presented at the end of the month.

Honda Intregra

Not the one you think

Honda fans have never forgotten the Integra Type R, this accessible and radical sports car which had an ultra-sharp naturally aspirated 4-cylinder engine and displayed particularly aggressive styling. They will probably jump when they discover the first images of the new Integra, a wise compact sedan designed for the Chinese market. Certainly, its 180 hp turbo unit undoubtedly offers more than adequate performance. But for the moment we seem far from the radical vocation of the previous Integra. Fortunately, the Japanese manufacturer will soon unveil different versions of this new Integra for other markets around the world. And Honda is also planning a coupe version. From there to dreaming of a Type R version, there is only one step that we would like to take…
 

Screw

Volkswagen: The new restyled Polo GTI costs 30 euros. It is more expensive than the Ford Fiesta ST (635 euros) and the Hyundai i26 N (990 euros).

Radar: The Ministry of the Interior is preparing a new radar device to replace the "owl" and its 14 years of service. It will arrive in 2023.

Terminals: The specialist ABB has just unveiled the Terra 360, a terminal allowing you to recover 100 km of autonomy in 3 minutes thanks to a power of 360 kW.

Ineos: The Grenadier, this 4×4 based on the old Land Rover Defender and built in Hambach in Moselle, will cost a little over 59 euros in first price.