FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM
Exotic hypercars to fuel your fantasies
Sometimes fantasy comes clad in carbon fibre – as is evident in this array of supercars. For car lovers, these are the ultimate dream machines, sleek and powerful enough to fuel the need for speed and the open road. But even for people whose idea of a car is as a means of getting from Point A to Point B, these are breathtaking things of beauty, more art than cars.
These automobiles were unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show, which showcases the flashiest and most outrageous car designs every year. While the luxury brands all put their best foot forward, these really caught our eye, maybe because we don’t often see them on the road. With their wildly innovative technology and conceptual designs, these cars are all about the future.
Bugatti La Voiture Noire
Bugatti is having a great start to their 110th anniversary so far. The French luxury brand debuted two special cars at the Geneva Motor Show — the hyper sports car La Voiture Noire and the special anniversary edition 110 ans Bugatti, which is limited to 20 cars. Sounds fancy, but La Voiture Noire simply means “The Black Car” and is an homage to the legendary Bugatti Type 57 SC Atlantic. For automobile enthusiasts, the name is special: Ettore Bugatti’s son, Jean developed and drove one of only four Tupe 58 SC Atlantic coupes ever produced. He called his Atlantic La Voiture Noire. This vehicle disappeared before World War II and is considered one of the great mysteries in the history of the automobile. If found now, it would be extremely valuable.
Equally as valuable is its modern incarnation. The two-door car has an elegant sculpted bodywork from black carbon fibre. The 8.0-litre, W16 midengine generates 1,500 horsepower and has been bought by a collector for a cool €11million, making it the most expensive car in the world today.
Aston Martin Vanquish Vision Concept
The latest of many concepts and “visions” that Aston Martin has debuted, the Vanquish Vision has a more seductive appearance than the Valkyrie. It has a very distinctive front fender with openings that let you see through onto the tyre. However, its classical look is deceptive. It is equally capable on the race track as it is on the road. Very little of the specs are available at this point. What we do know though is that it has an aluminium chassis and will feature the Aston Martin’s V6 engine, the same one found in the AM-RB 003 turbo-hybrid. There are talks that a production version may debut early next year.
Hispano Suiza Carmen
Another car on this list with roots in an older model, this time the 1938 HispanoSuiza H6C Dubonnet Xenia. The 21st century incarnation is named after the granddaughter of Damián Mateu, founder of Hispano-Suiza. This all-electric car can do 0-to-60mph in under three seconds. Top speed is reported at 155mph. Carmen is a “hyperlux” grand touring car, with a classically inspired design, cutting-edge chassis, powertrain technology, and expertly engineered dynamics. There will only be 19 of these made and costs €1.5million. Production starts in mid-2020.
Pininfarina Battista
The looks of this car betrays its heritage. The sensuous curves immediately screams Italian and harks back to the cars in the 1960s, when the name Pininfarina made people sit up and take notice. In fact, this new model is the first car out of the newly formed Automobili Pininfarina, which, of course, shares DNA with the classic car design house founded in 1930. The automobile is named after the company founder, Battista “Pinin” Farina and it is beautiful as it fast: It goes 0-to60mph in under two seconds, has 1,900 horsepower with a top speed of 217mph. It’ll also be able to charge its batteries to 80 percent in under 40 minutes on a supercharger outlet. If that’s not enough, the car comes with its own bespoke luggage, which fit the compartment behind the driver and passenger. Act fast though, only 150 of these beauties will be made, each costing $2.6 million.
Koenigsegg Jesko
The Swedish automaker built this hypercar for speed. The company claims that the Jesko will reach 300 mph. It has an allnew 5.0-litre twin turbo V8, which can produce 1,280 horsepower, with a new nine-speed transmission. Unlike other hypercars that sacrifice comfort and looks for speed, this one has interior luxuries like an infotainment system, parking cameras and power-automatic seats. Production starts in 2021.